About every third home in Sweden has a pet. They are seen as members of the family, but in crises that require the family to evacuate or seek shelter, pets are now not allowed to accompany them.
– Pets are covered by the Animal Protection Act, but it is not certain that it is followed in war. Our pets fall through the cracks, says Arita Holmberg, docent in political science at the Defense University in Stockholm.
Another risk she sees is that people refuse to allow themselves to be evacuated if they are not allowed to take their animals with them.
Escape with the animals
According to the Swedish Agency for Community Safety and Preparedness (MSB), you must leave your pet at home with a food ration that is enough “for a period of time” – something that is completely unthinkable for many pet owners.
– We have seen that not least in connection with the war in Ukraine, where many who fled took their animals with them. This led, among other things, to the EU recommending that the member states make exceptions to the quarantine requirement for animals in the company of asylum seekers, says Arita Holmberg.
Together with research colleagues Aida Alvinius and Miranda Holmberg, she argues in a scientific article in Sociological research that pets should be included in total defense.
Sweden is behind
– There is a development of total defense and then one should review how pets are to be protected even during crisis and war. In many other countries, they have stronger protection in the event of, for example, floods and forest fires. Sweden is behind.
One way to plan for animals in total defense is to build shelters where animals are allowed, something that does not exist today.
– In society, we coexist with domestic animals in, for example, public transport. I don’t think it’s that different to co-exist in the event of crisis and war.
In the clip, the researcher explains why our pets should be covered by total defence.