This thesis explores the potential of speculative design and art to raise awareness about pet preparedness, influence climate adaptation, and shape public perception of disaster risk in the Netherlands. Through speculative prototyping, the project aims to create an artifact that provokes curiosity and emotional engagement, encouraging action towards better preparedness for pet owners during disasters. The research identifies significant gaps in current pet evacuation and care practices, particularly within traditional risk communication systems. These gaps often result in unpreparedness, which can lead to pet fatalities, increased strain on emergency services, traumatic evacuation, and public health risks such as zoonotic disease outbreaks.
The project investigates for the Netherlands Institute for Public Safety and Dieren in Rampen existing pet preparedness practices at various levels. This includes governmental, organizational, and community preparedness efforts, and uncovers misconceptions and barriers that prevent proactive measures. Through a mixed-methods research approach, the project highlights key challenges in risk communication, such as the lack of clear governmental support, the misperception of government assistance, and the emotional barriers pet owners face when making evacuation decisions.
The design process centers around the creation of the Verlaatpaal, a speculative artifact that aims to immerse pet owners in evacuation scenarios, raising awareness of preparedness gaps and encouraging behavior change. The design integrates the human-animal bond, aiming to provoke emotional responses and dialogue about pet preparedness, strengthening self-reliance, co-reliance and population resilience. The final prototype tests the ability of the artifact to stimulate conversation, raise awareness, and spark interest in pet evacuation planning.
This thesis ultimately demonstrates how speculative design can be used as a tool to address complex societal challenges, particularly in the context of disaster preparedness, by engaging stakeholders, stimulating debate, and promoting collaboration among pet owners, rescue organizations, and emergency response teams.