PM Anutin told flood victims to prioritise evacuating people and leave pets to local authorities, saying animals at shelters often disturb other evacuees. Pet lovers pushed back online, and a law lecturer proposed separate pet zones at relief centres, as Thammasat did in 2011. For a small business, the practical point is that flood plans for staff and families may need to cover pets, and shelter arrangements for pets could change. Government says the message was about moving quickly, not a policy on animal welfare.