University of Georgia officials have created a facility to house pets in hurricanes and other emergencies.

Many people refuse to evacuate their homes during emergencies because they don't want to leave their pets, putting themselves at risk.

The hope is that a new system developed will allow people to bring their pets to the UGA Livestock Instructional Arena while they stay a few miles away, said Pete Golden, an emergency official at UGA.

In an emergency, animals would be registered at the Livestock Center and undergo a medical-intake evaluation by the veterinary college. A triage area will also be set-up for animals in need of medical assistance or quarantine.

Fort Valley State University created a similar emergency animal shelter this summer.

Tags: University of Georgia, UGA, animal shelter, Evacuations, natural disasters, pets, animals, disasters