May 2007 - Hurricane Preparedness for Pets Challenge
By Jodi Beck Witte

June 1st marks the start of the 2007 hurricane season. Are you ready? What about your pets? Do you have a plan? Now is the time to get ready - before hurricane season starts. AnimalHelp.Com is making the challenge: let 2007 be the year all of us who own pets are ready for hurricane season with an effective family plan in place. Do not ever think it will not happen to you. If you live in a coastal area, it CAN happen, and you must be ready.



Jodi Beck Witte is no stranger to hurricanes. As a long time member of a federal veterinary disaster response team, she has seen her share, including Hurricane Katrina, Wilma, Rita, Jeanne, Frances, Charlie, and many others. "The common element is always so many people who do not have plans for their animals and as a result, too many get left behind, or those pet owners will not evacuate because they won't leave their pets," said Ms Witte.

The most notable example of the lack of preparedness came with Hurricane Katrina and the devastated animal population of Louisiana. Thousands of pets were left to die, despite hundreds of volunteers trying to save them after the fact. Nationwide outrage and blame was reported in the news directed toward FEMA and the government. In reality, at the most basic level, it was the pet owners who failed to prepare for the possibility of such an event. Since her federal deployment to New Orleans to help the animals left behind in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Ms Witte has spent considerable effort trying to educate the public about their preparedness needs.

With the passing of the new PETS Act, all states are required to include pets and pet owners in their disaster plans. While this is a great step forward in animal disaster preparedness, Ms Witte encourages pet owners to completely understand how they are ultimately responsible for their pet's safety and evacuation in the event of a hurricane or other disaster. She offers the following information to help the pet owner prepare:

Responsibility: It is not the job of FEMA, nor any federal, state, or local government entity to evacuate you or your pet before a disaster. While your local government may have transportation available for those who need it to local shelters, people come first and even if pets are allowed on these transports, the need may arise where precious space must be given to a person rather then an animal. The same holds true for shelter space. If you do not have a plan in place for your own animals, you can not expect others to take full responsibility for them. The responsibility is yours, first and foremost, as a pet owner.

THE PLAN

Where to Evacuate To: The first thing to set up your plan; have a safe location to evacuate to where you can take your pets. This may be a pet-friendly hotel, a relative or friend, or even a boarding facility well inland who can safely house your pet during the storm. You must arrange this location before hand, not when the evacuation orders come in. This month, before hurricane season begins, make contact with a hotel, boarding facility, or your relatives and make sure you will be welcome with little notice and wagging tails.

Transportation: The second part of your plan to have in place is transportation. If you have pets, try hard not to rely on what will be an overburdened emergency response. If, at all possible, have your own transportation and make sure you can fit your family and all of your pets in that vehicle. It may take more then one vehicle to move the entire family - don't wait until the last moment to try to figure out how to make it work. Car Pooling with friends and neighbors may work well if you have planned together.

The Supplies: The third part of your plan must be to have all necessary supplies on hand, ready to go, if an evacuation order comes down. These supplies are separate from the supplies you use with your pet everyday. These should be purchased and stored separately in an easily assessable place in the event of an emergency. Do not use these supplies for any other reason during the hurricane season.

Your pets must have identification. Make sure that there is an alternate phone number on that ID where a message can be left. If the only phone number on the tag is your home phone number, it won't do your pet much good if you have been evacuated.

Each dog must have a leash at the very minimum, and better yet has both a leash and a crate. Cats must have a crate or you can purchase a cardboard carrying box from your vet made just for cats. The crate will be necessary
if you or your pet must stay in a shelter, and some hotels may require it. For small pocket pets such as gerbils and hamsters or birds, purchase small travel crates or plastic containers made for these little critters and available at your local pet store. Have them pre-labeled with the animal's ID. Photo copy all of your pet's current health records so you have proof of vaccination history. Take a couple photographs of each pet and place the records and photos all together in a waterproof container such as a zip lock baggie. Ask your veterinarian for an extra 2 week supply of any current drugs your pet may need if applicable. Purchase a 2 week supply of food, several gallons of water and have a food and water dish for each.

For emergency storage, place each pet's emergency leash, food/water dishes, and emergency medications in their crate labeled with the pet's name and your contact information. Place these together with the food and water
supplies, and the vet records, in an easily assessable place. These are your "go" supplies. You will be able to quickly evacuate with your pets if these are ready.

Other Animals: Horses, cows, and other livestock present a serious challenge for evacuation. If you cannot evacuate these animals, be sure you keep plenty of food supplies on hand at all times, placed as high as possible in
your barn. Have copies of their records and photos which you can take with you for identification later. When the evacuation orders come down, label each animal with spray paint right on their body with your name and emergency phone number. The paint will not hurt them and will stay on even in the rain.

Horses and livestock have better chances of survival if they are turned out in their pasture versus being closed up in a barn. While we may feel the urge to put them up in the barn to keep them from the storm, this presents many dangers and traps the animal if the building is damaged or in the event of a flood. Under no circumstances should any animal left to face a storm, including livestock or pets, be tied to any structure or placed in a stall or kennel with a roof on it. In the event of a flood these animals will not be able to swim or escape rising water.

One month, three steps to prepare, a family to keep safe. AnimalHelp.Com challenges you to be ready this year, for your entire family. This May, get your family ready and help others get ready. Start with your family and then
help your neighborhood. Talk to the pet owners and educate them. Develop a support system so that if someone is not home, or cannot get back to get their pets, someone else can. Have them designate a spot where all their "go" supplies will be for their pets, where their support person will know where to find everything. Once your neighborhood is ready, expand your efforts to include your whole town. Train your friends to train their
friends. Keep it going and pass it forward. Education and preparation are key. Do not sit back and expect the federal or state governments - or anyone else for that matter - to come in and rescue your pets if you cannot put
forth an effort to make arrangements for them before the disaster.

This year let us not allow a hurricane to cause the loss of life we saw with Hurricane Katrina. Everything else is replaceable.

Visit www.animalhelp.com during the month of May for more information, resources, supply lists, activities, flyers, posters, and materials you can use to help get prepared and help educate others.

About the Author:
Jodi Beck Witte is the CEO of AnimalHelp.Com and is also a member of the Veterinary Medical Assistance Team (VMAT), part of the National Disaster Medical System, US Department of Homeland Security. In addition to her disaster response experience, she has worked as a veterinary technician in both small animal practice and at a zoo, and has done wildlife rehabilitation for many years. She is certified in Chemical Immobilization/Remote Capture, Large Animal Rescue, and is certified as a Weapons of Mass Destruction Specialist.

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