A new charity aims to help animals get to safety during natural disasters and emergencies after more than 1000 pets were left to fend for themselves during the Edgecumbe flood in April 2017..
Animal Evac 's Steve Glassey, speaking this morning to TVNZ 1's Breakfast today, said people were often caught unprepared when disasters strike, and that "there'll be more Edgcumbes".
"If there's a chance that you'll have to evacuate - find your animals," he said.
The charity was designed to be "like the neutral Red Cross for the animals," Mr Glassey said - "so we're going to come in and do the right thing".
Many people do not have a separate animal carrier for each of their pets, which can make the difference when trying to escape in a hurry.
All pet owners should also register their pets with the New Zealand Companion Animal Register , Mr Glassey said, as well as having them micro-chipped.
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