Understanding why some people don't evacuate:

[Catchawave]

Here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=231&topic_id=6611&mesg_id=6611

As we've seen over and over on the news, many, many people won't leave their pets behind. I can understand that for the same reasons I wouldn't leave my children behind.

[OneBlueSky]

1. for most human companions, leaving their pets behind would be . . .

the same as leaving a child behind . . . this is particularly true of older folks who live alone and whose only constant companionship comes from their animal friends . . . making people leave pets behind has to be one of the cruelest aspects of this entire disaster, and one that was entirely unnecessary . . .

[meow2u3]

2. Those in charge really do underestimate the importance of animals

in people's lives. Animals in the lives of people often mean the difference between our being able to cope with catastrophic stress and breaking down emotionally. So why do so many people think we're putting animals ahead of humans when we want to save our pets? They're not "just animals"; they're family!

I certainly would stay back if it meant I had to leave my cat behind to fend for himself.