Cairns residents are animal lovers, with hundreds of dogs registered annually. In a region which is also well known for its natural hazard exposure, pet ownership means including planning for pets in disasters. This is often problematic for owners living in storm surge areas, whose pets cannot be brought into lock-down cyclone shelters or for people with specific vulnerabilities who may need to be evacuated in a disaster. Cairns Regional Council's disaster management unit has established a close relationship with a community group supporting older people with pets to help address the ongoing question in evacuation of "but what about Fluffy?" Animal Care for Seniors at Home and the unit have now worked together for several years to develop an emergency fostering programme which directly assists pet owners most in need in emergencies. The programme received a Highly Commended award in the 2019 Queensland Resilience Awards.

Sioux Campbell is the disaster management resilience officer for Cairns Regional Council. She was has extensive experience in crisis management and community engagement in the emergency and environmental management sectors. Sioux developed and implements the region’s resilience strategy, turning identified issues into positive actions. Sioux is an IAP2 ambassador, Fellow of the PR Institute of NZ, regional representative for AAEE and a life member of the NZ Association for Environmental Education. She is a multi award winner in the engagement, public relations and disaster resilience sectors.