The decree also mandates planning for emergency solutions aimed at searching for, rescuing, and providing relief to animals during catastrophes or accidents.

The decree amends the Civil Protection Framework Law to redefine civil protection as the activity carried out to prevent collective risks inherent to serious accidents or catastrophes, to mitigate their effects, and to protect and provide relief to people, animals, and property in danger when such situations occur.

Municipal civil protection activities will now include planning for emergency solutions, covering search, rescue, relief, and assistance, as well as the evacuation, sheltering, and provisioning of animals within the municipality, and the conducting of drills.

Emotional bond

As Prime Minister Luís Montenegro explained during a debate in the Assembly of the Republic in April, the reason for this legal amendment is the emotional bond people share with animals; this bond sometimes leads individuals to refuse evacuation from their homes during emergencies or dangerous situations “because they cannot accept that this aspect is not taken into account.”

The decree adds the planning of emergency solutions, aimed at the search, rescue, relief, assistance, evacuation, sheltering, and provisioning of animals, to the fundamental objectives of civil protection.

The decree alters the composition of the National Civil Protection Commission. This coordinating body supports the Government in this area and includes an animal health and welfare representative appointed by the Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary Affairs (DGAV). It modifies the composition of district civil protection commissions to include an animal health and welfare representative to be appointed by the DGAV.

Municipal civil protection

The composition of municipal civil protection committees is also being modified to include a representative from the municipal veterinary health authority, as well as representatives from legally constituted entities recognised by the municipality, involved in search and rescue, emergency response, assistance, evacuation, sheltering, or the provision of supplies for animals.

Through an amendment to the Integrated Civil Protection and Relief Operations System, the legislation alters the configuration of the theatre of operations; previously, this comprised an incident zone, a support zone, and a concentration and reserve zone (where transit points are located).

The theatre of operations now includes a fourth zone, an animal reception and concentration zone, where available assets and resources are temporarily stationed and where a logistical support system is maintained for the sheltering, rescue, and triage of animals.