After Hurricane Katrina: The Game-Changing Role of Pets in Disaster Planning and Evacuation

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation in 2005, Nita Hemeter, who had rescued her pet during a roadblock, found herself staying in New Orleans amidst widespread power outages. The city was eerily quiet, save for the cacophony of barking and meowing animals left behind.

“It was as if every star in the sky was shining down upon us,” Hemeter recalled. “The sound of desperate animals hollering was heart-rending.”

Apart from individual accounts, it’s believed that tens of thousands, possibly even hundreds of thousands, of pets were abandoned during Katrina. Rescue teams often refused to take in animals, and evacuation shelters seldom accommodated them. Many residents made the tragic choice of leaving their beloved pets behind, believing they would return soon.

“The message back then was simple: Evacuate, leave your pets,” Randy Covey, an animal rescue manager who worked post-Katrina in New Orleans, explained. “There were no provisions for pets during evacuations.”

The harrowing tales of animal suffering and the agonizing decisions faced by pet owners shocked the nation. In response, a year later in 2006, federal lawmakers passed the Pet Evacuation & Transportation Safety (PETS) Act, which encouraged states and agencies to include pets in their disaster planning.

“If there’s a silver lining in Hurricane Katrina—a catastrophe marked by countless tragedies—it was that it brought about a shift in how the country views the role of animals within our communities,” Ana Zorrilla, CEO of Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, stated.

“To ensure human safety, we must care for animals as well,” she added.

One crucial lesson learned from Hurricane Katrina was that rescuing pets also saves lives. It’s estimated that between 150,000 and 200,000 people refused to evacuate or stayed during the storm due to their pets. In several instances, helicopter rescues were denied to those clinging to rooftops with their animals.

“We heard stories of people on rooftops surrounded by floodwaters, clutching their pets, only for rescue teams to deny them entry,” Covey shared. “These individuals often chose to remain, putting their own lives at risk.”

Almost 1,400 people died in Katrina, making it one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history. While it’s impossible to ascertain exactly how many deaths were directly related to pets, there’s little doubt that many tragic decisions were made due to the love and loyalty between humans and their animal companions.

“During Hurricane Katrina, when faced with the choice of abandoning their pets or risking their own safety, numerous pet owners opted for the latter—and some paid the ultimate price,” former Connecticut Congressman Christopher Shays noted before voting on the 2006 PETS Act. “This is a public safety issue.”

The animal welfare crisis that unfolded in the aftermath of Katrina was unparalleled in scale. A coalition of animal rescue organizations set up an animal shelter at Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, an equestrian center about 60 miles west of New Orleans—the largest animal rescue and shelter operation in U.S. history.

However, even this massive operation struggled to cope with the sheer number of animals needing care. Within weeks of the storm, efforts shifted from capturing and evacuating pets to providing food and water on-site due to a lack of resources.

“There simply weren’t enough people or facilities to care for all the animals,” Covey stated. “They would often find themselves moving from one dire situation to another.”

Covey, who continues to work in animal rescue in the greater Portland, Oregon area, emphasized that despite all planning and resources, local and federal officials will never be prepared to handle all animal needs if owners don’t bring their pets during a disaster.

In his county alone, there are an estimated 175,000 dogs and 115,000 cats. With a full-time staff of approximately 20 people, he explained, “There is no way we could accommodate hundreds of thousands of pets.”

The message has since changed: “If you evacuate, take your pets with you,” Covey stressed. Cesar Perea, associate vice president of rescue at the American Humane Society, echoed this sentiment, adding that there’s still room for improvement in emergency response planning for animals and their owners.

During the Los Angeles wildfires in early 2025, Perea pointed out, affected areas were temporarily locked down after all humans had been evacuated, hindering pet rescue efforts. After human evacuation, he advocated, “The next logical step should be: Let’s get these animals out of here and decide how to do that.”

In broader terms, Perea emphasized the importance of preparedness for both humans and their pets during natural disasters—ensuring they have enough emergency food and water supplies.

“I always tell my friends and family when they ask me how to prepare themselves,” he said. “The first thing I say is no one’s coming, and you need to be prepared for that.”