Today, more than 60 percent of American households own a pet, an increase 2 from 56 percent in 1988. Nearly half of pet owners consider their animals to be 3 members of the family. The power of the relationship between people and their pets or service animals is readily apparent during disaster evacuations. Prior to the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, storm evacuees refused to leave their residences because first responders would not allow their pets to evacuate with them.