TOKYO - Less than 30 percent of dog and cat owners in Japan stockpile emergency food and water for their pets when preparing for disasters, a recent survey by a drugmaker showed.
With the week through Saturday designated pet disaster preparedness week, Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. has urged owners to review preparations and evacuation methods to protect their pets' lives.
The online survey conducted last December targeted pet owners aged 24 to 69, drawing responses from 200 dog owners and 200 cat owners.
Only 25 percent of dog owners and 16.5 percent of cat owners said they stockpile pet food and water as part of their disaster preparedness.
Meanwhile, 30 percent of dog owners and 20.5 percent of cat owners said they knew the rules on accepting pets at nearby evacuation shelters.
Pet disaster preparedness week was established in 2021 by a nonprofit pet disaster support association based in Matsuyama, western Japan.
"Everyday preparations are important, such as getting dogs and cats used to leashes and cages for shelter life, as well as deciding on places other than shelters where they can be left or evacuated with their owners," said Ritsuko Miura, the association's chairwoman.
