Disasters can happen so suddenly.

To help owners and pets overcome disasters together, it is essential to be prepared on a regular basis. The Ministry of the Environment has reviewed the various problems that have occurred to pets and their owners in past disasters, and has provided guidelines that organize what measures pet owners should take.

To protect you and your beloved pets in case of a disaster,

What can you do now to protect you and your beloved pets?

The Ministry of the Environment plans to conduct an evacuation drill with pets in 2022 to support evacuation with pets in case of a disaster. About three local governments are selected, and each training takes about half a day, including a review meeting. After the training, the status of implementation, problems identified, and proposed solutions will be compiled and shared with other local governments.　The current situation is that it is up to each local government to decide where and how to evacuate with pets. In these days of frequent natural disasters, evacuating together with pets, which are members of the family, is a natural act, and the Ministry of the Environment, which encourages evacuation with pets, must actively support all local governments.

At an evacuation center in Saga City that accepted pets during the recent Typhoon No. 14, private tents were set up in the building for each household with pets, allowing pets and owners to spend time together in the same space to relieve some of the anxiety.

An official from the Animal Protection and Control Office of the Ministry of the Environment said, “We would like to create a situation where both pet owners and non-pet owners can evacuate without problems,” Jiji Press reported.

Through evacuation drills, good practices and problems can be shared, so that solutions can be developed and everyone can be in a position to evacuate without problems. It is important for pet owners to prepare food, toiletries, medicines, etc. for their pets, but it is also important to confirm the location of evacuation centers near their homes where they can evacuate with their pets and how to get there.

And we would encourage you to participate in local government evacuation drills with your beloved one.