Noah’s Task / 109Our dominion over other species ensures that human interests will
always trump animal interests.
In saying this, I am not suggesting that animal interests and
human interests should necessarily be equal in all disaster responses,
or even in all situations. I do not propose that we allow people to die
while we rescue all the animals. However, some animal rescue will
always be necessary, and in what follows, I offer ideas—some con-
crete, others less so—about how to improve our efforts.
What We Know
and How We Can Use It
Companion Animals
Our relationships with companion animals give us numerous rea-
sons to save them. Because we have enlisted dogs, cats, and other
species to be our companions, we have an ethical imperative to res-
cue them if the need arises. We also have psychosocial reasons to
save them; disasters involve stress and trauma, and the loss of a
beloved companion animal can only add to the emotional burden.
Moreover, as the unprecedented post-Katrina rescue effort showed,
it takes signifi cant time, effort, labor, and money to save animals
left behind. As the events in Dayton, Ohio, and Weyauwega, Wis-
consin, showed, people will risk their lives and imperil the lives
of others to save their animals. With the passing of the Pets Evac-
uation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act, the federal gov-
ernment has implemented policy to prevent another Katrina for
animals. However, the law only ensures that people will be allowed
to evacuate with their animals. Companion animal guardians must
take steps to be ready to evacuate. My recommendation is decep-
tively simple: people who have companion animals need to assess
the type of risks they face and prepare for emergencies. For any
risk, the preparation involves the following:
- Have suffi cient food, water, litter, and litter pans on hand
to care for animals for three days if required to “shelter