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Disaster Planning Tips for Pets, Livestock and Wildlife
The Humane Society of the United States Offers Disaster
Planning Tips for Pets, Livestock and WildlifeWhether it's a large-scale
natural catastrophe or an unforeseen emergency that causes you to leave
your home temporarily, everyone's family can benefit from having a household
evacuation plan in place before disaster strikes. Every disaster plan
must include your pets!
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) offers the following
tips to pet owners designing an emergency safety plan:
- If you evacuate your home, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND! Pets
most likely cannot survive on their own; and if by some remote chance
they do, you may not be able to find them when you return.
- For public health reasons, many emergency shelters cannot accept pets.
Find out which motels and hotels in your area allow pets -- well in
advance of needing them. Include your local animal shelter's number
in your list of emergency numbers -- they might be able to provide information
concerning pets during a disaster.
- Make sure identification tags are up to date and securely fastened
to your pet's collar. If possible, attach the address and/or phone number
of your evacuation site. If your pet gets lost, his tag is his ticket
home. Make sure you have a current photo of your pet for identification
purposes.
- Make sure you have a secure pet carrier, leash or harness for your
pet so that if he panics, he can't escape.
- Take pet food, bottled water, medications, veterinary records, cat
litter/pan, can opener, food dishes, first aid kit and other supplies
with you in case they're not available later. While the sun is still
shining, consider packing a "pet survival" kit which could be easily
deployed if disaster hits.
- If you are unable to return to your home right away, you may need
to board your pet. Most boarding kennels, veterinarians and animal shelters
will need your pet's medical records to make sure all vaccinations are
current. Include copies in your "pet survival" kit along with a photo
of your pet.
- If it is impossible to take your pet with you to temporary shelter,
contact friends, family, veterinarians, or boarding kennels to arrange
for care. Make sure medical and feeding information, food, medicine
and other supplies accompany your pet to his foster home. NOTE:
Some animal shelters will provide temporary foster care for owned pets
in times of disaster, but this should be considered only as a last resort.
- If you have no alternative but to leave your pet at home, there are
some precautions you must take, but remember that leaving your pet at
home alone can place your animal in great danger! Confine your pet to
a safe area inside -- NEVER leave your pet chained outside! Place a
notice outside in a visible area, advising what pets are in the house
and where they are located. Provide a phone number where you or a contact
can be reached as well as the name and number of your vet.
Not only are pets affected by disaster, but the other animals in the
disaster area are affected as well. The HSUS offers these basic tips for
people who encounter wildlife or have livestock on their property:
Wildlife
- Wild animals often seek higher ground which, during floods, eventually
become submerged (i.e., island) and the animals become stranded. If
the island is large enough and provides suitable shelter, you can leave
food appropriate to the species (i.e., sunflower seeds for squirrels).
Animals have a flight response and will flee from anyone approaching
too closely. If the animal threatens to rush into the water, back away
from the island or you may frighten the animal into jumping into the
water to escape from you.
- Wildlife often seek refuge from flood waters on upper levels of a
home and may remain inside even after the water recedes. If you meet
a rat or snake face to face, be careful but don't panic. Open a window
or other escape route and the animal will probably leave on its own.
Never attempt to capture a wild animal unless you have the training,
protective clothing, restraint equipment and caging necessary to perform
the job.
- Beware of an increased number of snakes and other predators who will
try to feed on the carcasses of reptiles, amphibians and small mammals
who have been drowned or crushed in their burrows or under rocks.
- Often, during natural disasters, mosquitoes and dead animal carcasses
may present disease problems. Outbreaks of anthrax, encephalitis and
other diseases may occur. Contact your local emergency management office
for help!
- If you see an injured or stranded animal in need of assistance, or
you need help with evicting an animal from your home, please contact
your local animal control office or animal shelter!
Livestock
- EVACUATE LIVESTOCK WHENEVER POSSIBLE. Arrangements for evacuation,
including routes and host sites, should be made in advance. Alternate
routes should be mapped out in case the planned route is inaccessible.
- The evacuation sites should have or be able to readily obtain food,
water, veterinary care, handling equipment and facilities.
- Trucks, trailers, and other vehicles suitable for transporting livestock
(appropriate for transporting each specific type of animal) should be
available along with experienced handlers and drivers to transport them.
Whenever possible, the animals should be accustomed to these vehicles
in advance so they're less frightened and easier to move.
- If evacuation is not possible, a decision must be made whether to
move large animals to available shelter or turn them outside. This decision
should be determined based on the type of disaster and the soundness
and location of the shelter (structure).
All animals should have some form of identification that will help facilitate
their return.
Your disaster plan should include a list of emergency phone numbers
for local agencies that can assist you if disaster strikes - - including
your veterinarian, state veterinarian, local animal shelter, animal care
and control, county extension service, local agricultural schools and
the American Red Cross. These numbers should be kept with your disaster
kit in a secure, but easily accessible place.
For additional information, please contact The Humane Society of the
United States
2100 L. Street, NW
Washington, DC. 20037
Attn: Disaster Services Program
Phone: (202) 452-1100
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