Household pets, service animals, and livestock may escape or be killed in disasters, with negative consequences for the environment:

• There is potential for decaying carcasses to impact the environment. Carcasses create biologic waste and attract flies and rodents, which can spread disease.  
• There is also potential for groundwater contamination and bad odors.  
• Escaped animals may wander onto land where they may contaminate water supplies, cause a buildup of manure, overgraze sensitive ecosystems, and cause damage to crops.