Community taking lead in emergency planning for their animals

This brief explores animal emergency management in the context of a community group in the New South Wales Blue Mountains. By focusing on animal owners and community groups, the research explores a ‘community-to-community’ approach to enhancing awareness, preparedness, and planning for animals in emergencies. It identifies key activities, outputs and processes that can be translated for use by other communities; and provides emergency service agencies with another route to community engagement.

By highlighting the impact of animals on the behaviours of people in natural hazards, this research has reinforced the need to support communities to be prepared and to plan for animals.