The clock is ticking. Submissions on New Zealand’s Emergency Management Bill (No. 2) close in just two weeks, on 3 February 2026. This is our once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure animals are properly protected during disasters—but we need your voice to make it happen.
When Cyclone Gabrielle devastated communities in 2023, brave volunteers and emergency responders worked tirelessly to save animals trapped by floodwaters. When the 2017 Edgecumbe Flood struck, over 1,000 animals were left behind with no agency responsible for their rescue. These weren’t isolated failures—they exposed fundamental gaps in New Zealand’s emergency management framework that the current Bill still hasn’t fully addressed.
Despite animals being identified as the single biggest public concern in submissions to the previous Emergency Management Bill, and despite official documents released under the Ombudsman investigation confirming this, critical protections remain absent from the new legislation.
Animal Evac New Zealand’s tireless advocacy has secured a significant victory: mandatory animal emergency plans at the regional level (Clause 91). This is historic progress that places New Zealand among international leaders in animal disaster management.
But our work isn’t finished. Our comprehensive submission to the Select Committee—drawing on 16 years of research, peer-reviewed publications, and a doctoral thesis—identifies 27 critical recommendations that must be addressed.
Rescue and Entry Powers: The Bill still contains unrealistic “contact owner” requirements before animals can be rescued from dangerous situations (Clause 102). When floodwaters are rising or fire is spreading, there’s no time to track down owners. International best practice supports immediate rescue authority—yet the Bill doesn’t provide it.
Disposal and Holding Periods: Once rescued, what happens to displaced animals? The Bill provides no clear disposal provisions. The American Bar Association recommends animals be held for a minimum of 30 days to allow for reunification in the chaos following disasters—yet New Zealand’s Animal Welfare Act currently mandates only 7 days for approved organisations. Without extended holding periods in the Emergency Management Bill, families may lose their beloved companions forever.
Microchipping Authority: Only 5% of displaced animals were reunited with their families after Hurricane Katrina. Microchipping during emergencies dramatically improves reunification rates, yet the Bill doesn’t explicitly provide this power. Without it, the heartbreak of permanent family separation will continue.
Protection of Disability Assistance Dogs: People who rely on disability assistance dogs face unique vulnerabilities during emergencies. While the Bill makes some provisions, crucial protections for these working animals—including specific identification and access provisions—need strengthening.
Destruction Safeguards: Current and proposed powers allow Controllers to destroy animals deemed dangerous or suffering during emergencies (Clause 133). While sometimes necessary, these powers lack adequate safeguards. Our submission recommends that no person exercise the power to destroy an animal unless they have consulted with a registered veterinarian—a basic protection that should be non-negotiable.
Animals Still Treated as “Property”: The Bill continues to classify animals as property (Clause 121) rather than recognising them as sentient beings. This legal categorisation creates barriers to providing the protections animals deserve and that New Zealanders expect.
Funding and Accountability: Unlike the United States’ PETS Act, which provides federal funding for animal disaster response costs, New Zealand offers no specific reimbursement provisions for animal welfare expenses incurred during emergencies. Councils and volunteer organisations bear these costs without support, creating an unsustainable system.
Our submission isn’t based on emotion—it’s grounded in rigorous evidence:
Peer-reviewed research published in leading international journals documenting the experiences of responders and families during the Edgecumbe Flood
Doctoral-level analysis critically evaluating New Zealand’s companion animal disaster management framework
International best practice, including testimony from Craig Fugate, former Director of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who spoke at Parliament in 2019
Government documents released under the Official Information Act showing that the Ministry for Primary Industries stated: “There needs to be clear reasons why the animal welfare issues we have raised have been rejected”
Despite this evidence, and despite 61% of all submissions to the 2024 Emergency Management Bill raising the importance of including animals, critical gaps remain.
The animal welfare advocacy landscape right now is complex. While Animal Evac New Zealand focuses specifically on emergency management protections, the Animal Justice Party is simultaneously running campaigns on different animal welfare issues—including greyhound racing, pig welfare, live exports, and duck shooting.
This isn’t a criticism—it highlights the systemic need for comprehensive animal protection across multiple policy domains. But it also creates potential confusion. When multiple organisations advocate on different animal issues simultaneously, the public may not understand which submission addresses which Bill, and decision-makers may struggle to identify the core concerns specific to emergency management.
This is why your submission is crucial. We need a clear, unified call specifically for the Emergency Management Bill (No. 2) to protect animals during disasters. Your voice—focused on emergency management—cuts through the noise and sends an unambiguous message to the Select Committee.
Making a submission is easier than you think, and you don’t need to be an expert. Here’s how:
Visit the EM Bill No2 Submission page here, or go www.parliament.nz/make-a-submission and find the Emergency Management Bill (No. 2).
Submit as an individual (you don’t need to represent an organisation)
Upload a document or write directly in the online form
Choose whether you want to speak to the committee in person (optional but powerful)
You don’t need to write pages. Even a short, heartfelt submission makes a difference. Consider including:
In your own words, why animal protection in emergencies matters to you. Have you evacuated with a pet? Do you remember seeing animals left behind during floods or fires? Would you risk your own safety to save your companion animal?
Support for Animal Evac New Zealand’s recommendations. You can state:
“I/we support the recommendations made by Animal Evac New Zealand in their submission on the Emergency Management Bill (No. 2), particularly regarding [choose the issues that resonate most with you: rescue and entry powers / holding periods for displaced animals / microchipping authority / protection of disability assistance dogs / destruction safeguards / funding provisions].” (see our draft here)
Why specific protections matter. Choose one or two key issues from our list above and explain why they’re important. Personal stories are powerful.
Your name will be published, but your contact details will stay private.
Read our full submission: Available on our website at www.animalevac.nz/embill
Background on the issues: Visit www.animalevac.nz/yeahnah to see documents released under the Ombudsman investigation
Animal Justice Party resources: For information on their parallel campaigns (which address different Bills and issues), visit Animal Justice Campaign Resources.
New Zealand has made genuine progress. Fire and Emergency New Zealand now undertakes animal rescue operations (though not mandated to lead or have funding for such). Auckland’s decision in recent years during flooding to make all evacuation centres companion-animal-friendly marked a historic cultural shift. Regional emergency management groups now have animal emergency plans in place—though these currently lack legal status and mechanisms for ensuring providing to make them a reality.
But laws create the framework for everything else. Without proper legislative protections, animals remain vulnerable, families face impossible choices, and emergency responders lack clear authority to act.
We’ve come too far to stop now. Other countries are moving ahead. Colombia passed comprehensive animal disaster protection laws in 2025, mandating protocols for rescue, veterinary care, temporary housing, and information systems for animals during disasters. The United States enacted the PETS Act in 2006, just one year after Hurricane Katrina, providing federal support and requirements for animal-inclusive planning.
New Zealand can—and should—lead the world in this space. We have the research. We have the evidence. We have the public support. What we need now is your submission.
Twenty-nine percent of Edgecumbe evacuees breached safety cordons to check on or rescue their pets. People will risk their lives for their animals. The question isn’t whether animals matter in emergencies—it’s whether our laws will finally catch up to what New Zealanders have known all along.
Submissions close 3 February 2026. Two weeks. That’s all we have.
Please, make your voice heard. For the animals who can’t speak for themselves. For the families who shouldn’t have to choose between safety and their companions. For a more compassionate, prepared Aotearoa.
Make your submission today: www.parliament.nz/make-a-submission
Learn more: www.animalevac.nz
Please donate at www.animalevac.nz/donate
Animal Evac New Zealand (Kararehe Whakawatea) is a registered charity (CC55754) dedicated to animal-inclusive emergency management. Founded after the 2017 Edgecumbe Flood exposed critical gaps in animal disaster response, we advocate for world-leading animal disaster management laws and support emergency services in protecting animals during emergencies. We are a small charity with zero staff and fewer than 300 volunteers—but we’re relentless in our mission to ensure no animal is left behind.
