Armed conflicts and natural disasters can lead people to go to great lengths to ensure the safety of their pets. Photo: 123rf.com
Sometimes exceptional life events result in some pet owners having to leave their furry companion behind. While veterinarians and animal associations have sought to raise awareness about the anxiety that such separation causes in pets, the effects of such episodes on humans have been little studied.
A recent article indicates that separation from a pet can also have serious consequences for the humans in the equation.
The researchers behind this study, published in the journal Anthrozoos, came to this conclusion after reviewing some 40 scientific studies on the attitudes of people in crisis situations towards their pets. Indeed, pets are so important to their owners that many refuse to flee danger without taking them with them, or without first ensuring their safety.
While this emotional dependence testifies to the powerful bond between the worlds of humans and animals, it can unfortunately complicate crisis management. For example, victims of domestic violence are often reluctant to flee the family home because of their pets.
“In a lot of cases of domestic violence, there is evidence to suggest that people will delay leaving their relationship to protect their pet. This is often because there’s a lack of shelters or housing places which can accommodate pets, or a lack of trust placed in formal support systems that they won’t be separated from their pet,” explains Jasmine Montgomery, co-author of the research in a press release.
Worse still, the perpetrator of domestic violence can sometimes use the pet as leverage to force the victim not to alert the authorities.
“In those cases where threats to pets are made, victims can be lured back by the perpetrator which places significant risk to their safety as well,” outlines Montgomery.
Research has found that, in a lot of cases of domestic violence, there is evidence to suggest that people will delay leaving their abusive relationship in order to protect their pet.
Domestic violence isn’t the only circumstance where a pet parent finds that they have to make a tough decision. Armed conflicts and natural disasters can lead people to go to great lengths to ensure the safety of their pets. In 2015, the United Nations Refugee Agency published a video on Facebook in which a Syrian refugee recounts how he walked the hundreds of kilometres between Damascus and the Greek island of Lesbos in the company of his dog, Rose. But not all pet owners are able to take their little companions with them as they flee, which can plunge them into great psychological distress.
This is why Montgomery and her colleagues are encouraging public authorities to take greater account of the fate of pets in crisis management, by facilitating, for example, the evacuation of animals in the event of conflict or natural disaster.
“Often, it’s expected people will choose human interests over animals at all costs, without consideration of the shared human-animal bond,” notes Montgomery in the release. “What we need to start doing is taking our pets, and the value of our pets, very seriously.” – AFP Relaxnews
