Abstract
BACKGROUND: The increasing trend of pet ownership presents a new set of challenges for disaster management. Many disaster programs currently focus on human populations but overlook the role of pets during emergencies. This research investigates the current progress and challenges surrounding pet management during disasters, aiming to inform forward-looking strategies in disaster management. METHOD: A scoping review was conducted to gather insights on advances and challenges of pet management in disasters. The researchers searched several major databases (Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed) and identified articles that specifically focused on pets in disaster contexts. After screening articles for relevance, 57 articles met the inclusion criteria for the review. RESULT: From an initial 2,532 articles, the authors narrowed down their findings by removing duplicates, resulting in 694 unique studies. Further screening led to 111 articles for in-depth review, and finally, 57 articles were selected for inclusion. The findings were categorized into two main themes: “Challenges of pet management in disaster” including four sub-themes and “Recommendations for pet management in disasters” with four sub-themes. CONCLUSIONS: The study’s conclusions center on psychological theories, specifically the Trans-theoretical Model and Protection Motivation Theory. These frameworks highlight the importance of understanding pet owners’ behaviors, particularly their stages of change (how they prepare for and respond to disasters) and perceived sensitivity toward their pets. Addressing these psychological factors could significantly improve the safety and evacuation of pets during emergencies.