Quintana Roo moves to guarantee pet spaces at hurricane shelters

Nearly two months into the tropical storm season, the Yucatán Peninsula state of Quintana Roo is now encouraging public hurricane shelters to feature specific provisions for pets.

The new recommendation — established in the Operating Guide for Public Temporary Shelters in Case of Hurricane, as published in the state government’s Official Gazette — is meant to guarantee adequate conditions for families who come to these spaces during an emergency.

When an approaching hurricane triggers an evacuation protocol, families have sometimes had to face the impossible choice between exposing themselves to danger by refusing to resort to a shelter with no space for animals or leaving their pet behind to fend for itself. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)

“The guide is intended for state and municipal authorities … and for pet owners,” said Javier Carballar Osorio, director of the state’s Institute of Biodiversity and Protected Natural Areas of the State (Ibanqroo).

The measure acknowledges that many people are unwilling to leave their pets behind in risky situations, prompting state authorities to mandate the well-being of such animals in civil protection protocols.

Although officially just a recommendation, its inclusion in the Official Gazette establishes a criterion that state and municipal authorities must consider when selecting and preparing buildings that will function as shelters during the current hurricane season.

The new guidelines recommend that spaces for pets must be integrated within the same shelters intended for people. The document specifies the minimum requirements that buildings operating as temporary shelters must meet with regard to safety, accessibility and hygiene.

Supporters of the new guidelines say it addresses a reality that has become evident in recent emergencies — that many families prefer not to go to a shelter if they cannot bring their pets with them, effectively jeopardizing their own safety.

By calling for spaces for pets within the shelters, the authorities seek to reduce that impediment and encourage greater participation of the population in evacuation protocols.

Before this, Quintana Roo had opted to enable separate shelters for companion animals, especially after the passage of Beryl, a Category 5 hurricane, in 2024.

In 2025, Ibanqroo teamed up with the International Fund for Animal Welfare to prepare and distribute information packets to the state’s 11 municipalities for the implementation of temporary shelters for dogs and cats during a disruptive event or threat.

With reports from El Economista and Quadratín

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