Pets are one of those issues that don't seem to have been given much thought in disaster planning. People with disabilities or mobility issues are another group--but that's a whole 'nother can of worms.

I recently read that the American Humane Society estimates that about 2 out of 3 American households has a pet. That's over 350 million pets. Since so many people say that they will not leave their pets behind, or like you, have actually refused going to a shelter rather than leave your pets behind, it's a serious human welfare issue, as well as a pet welfare issue.

At least a number of states are enacting laws to address this situation. Here in California, a law just went into effect requiring disaster planners to consider pets in their contingency planning. However, exactly how pets will be treated is not clear yet and will likely vary by locality. I doubt that pets will be allowed in all shelters, but perhaps certain "pet friendly" shelters will be designated so that those with allergies or fear/dislike of pets can know which shelters to avoid. Or another option I have heard are separate pet-only shelters staffed by animal control staff, vets, volunteers, etc. which are separate from people shelters. Anyway, it's a much more complicated issue than it appears at first glance and is probably a major reason why the blanket "no pets" rules were first put into place.