Disaster Preparedness for Accepting Companion Animals in Urban Evacuation Shelters in Japan

Japan's disaster preparation has significantly enhanced over time, shaped by the country's history of frequent natural disasters. However, animals are often neglected in such situations. In this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey targeting evacuation shelters in the urban cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. We aimed to investigate shelters' decisions to accept pets during a disaster, the factors that determine their decision, and if they accept pets, how they would accommodate them. Among the 205 respondents, most (51.7%) were undecided on whether they would accept pets. Our results suggested that concern for lack of space was the most important factor and that shelters with space concerns were 4.9 times more likely to reject pets compared to those with other concerns. Experience in sheltering evacuees during past disasters was partially important for decision-making. Furthermore, most shelters that accommodate pets typically would either keep them outside the facility or indoors in separate areas away from their owners. We propose that shelters treat pets and their owners based on the One Welfare approach, which promotes the idea that protecting animals would protect humans.