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Preparing You and Your Pet for Disaster
Natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods
are out of our control. However, planning for a disaster is
something we can all do. Prepare you and your pets for a safe
evacuation.
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Always include your pets in your
evacuation plans.
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Prepare for the worst case scenario.
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Not making disaster plans for your pets
can be a matter of life and death. After Hurricane Katrina,
less than 20% of pets and owners were reunited. Thousands of
other animals lost their lives. Preparing will prevent this
same thing from happening to you and your companions. |
 Major
Don’ts
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Don’t leave your pet behind.
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Don’t rely on the city to evacuate or
care for your pet.
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Don’t leave your pet tied up outside to
a tree or a fence— they can’t escape water, wind, or falling
items or they’ll die trying to escape.
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Don’t leave your pet indoors; floods
from tidal surges can trap your animal in a house.
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Don’t plan to leave your pet anywhere
within the hurricane strike zone.
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Don’t leave your pet at a boarding
facility in the strike zone. There’s no guarantee they have
an evacuation plan. |
Major Do’s
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Choose an evacuation destination in
advance of an evacuation order. Consider pet-friendly
hotels, family, friends, and boarding facilities outside of
the danger area. Pet friendly hotels can be found by
visiting two websites —www.petswelcome.com or
www.pets-allowed-hotels.com. If you don’t have a computer,
you can also visit a local library or the LA/SPCA.
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Call or the check the websites of the
Louisiana Department of Agriculture or the LA/SPCA to find
out where pet-friendly shelters may be located. (The
location of pet-friendly shelters will be added as the
information is received) These should be used as a last
resort; they fill quickly on a first-come, first-served
basis. You will be required to care for your pet so staying
close-by the pet-shelter is required.
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Check your pet’s boarding facility’s
evacuation plans before going on vacation. Many
veterinarians were forced to leave their clients’ pets
behind when Hurricane Katrina threatened New Orleans. People
who boarded their pets while on vacation were unable to get
back and their pets died. Make sure your boarding facility
has a plan in advance in case you are unable to come home to
retrieve your pet.
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Keep a hurricane-ready pack for your
pet so you can pick up and go without forgetting
important items.
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