Planning for Pet Evacuation and Sheltering

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Planning for Pet Evacuation and Sheltering

• Evacuation

Elizabeth Wang TXSART Executive
Director ewang_at_tvma.org
Texas Homeland Security Conference ? December 4,
2007
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State Hurricane Shelter and Mass Care Plan

• Special needs categories (0-5)
• Evacuation and host jurisdictions
  responsibilities
• Attachment 6 Animal Care

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First Things FirstPublic Information

• Owners have the ultimate responsibility for their
  animals preparedness
• Dont expect them to know what to do
• Include animal injects into your public
  information systems before, during, after
• There are options, templates, and brochures
  available for use
• www.txsart.org

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Because Lives Depend on It

• The Official State of Texas Pet Preparedness
  Guide
• Available online and in print
• Retrieve copies at the TXSART booth (past
  Registration in Park View area)

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Bag em and bus em

• No person who is needing state-provided
  transportation will be denied access to that
  transportation if they arrive with an animal(s)
• Test run performed at Camp Mabry
• So what are some tips to make this process easier?

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Processing

• Animals provided RFID tags that hang on
  collar/cage/crate/etc.
• Passengers and animals identified as a family
  unit for tracking during evacuation.
• Owners can and should be able to assist with
  attaching the RFID tag
• Then, bag em and bus em.

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Restraint

• DONT automatically think of crates!!
• Bulky, non-bendable, some animals too large,
  takes up large amount of space
• DO think to these alternatives
• Pillow cases/Evac Sacks - cats, small dogs,
  snakes
• Muzzles - dogs

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Large Animal Considerations
Transportation and Lodging Issues

• Generally not evacuated except equids (horses,
  donkeys, mules, etc.)
• Large animals best left outside to their own
  instincts, especially in high wind situations
• Owners may call looking for large animal shelters
  have lists of facilities for those who call
• Include large animal considerations in public
  information campaigns, emphasize that large
  animal evac must leave substantially earlier than
  rest of public

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Comfort Stations for persons and
their animals in private vehicles
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En route refueling stops for public
transportation with rest areas for passengers
Water and potty areas needed for companion
animals
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Other Tips

• Find and commit volunteers with experience
  handling animals local animal control
• Animal size, disposition, number of animals
• Supplies at Point of Embarkation
• Examples Animal control equipment (only used by
  trained users), leashes, muzzles,
  pillowcases/evac sacks, disinfectant, RFID tags
  with attachment, pet care package, trash bags,
  gloves (bite and latex/nitrile)

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Summary

• Public information 1 tell owners what you
  expect of them
• No person who is using state-provided
  transportation will be denied transport because
  of animal ownership
• Process with RFID tag
• Dont always think of crates, use alternatives
  like muzzles and pillowcases/Evac Sacks
• Find people with animal handling experience to
  assist at POE
• Have your supplies AHEAD of the evacuation

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Questions?

• Elizabeth A. Wang
• c/o Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation
• 8104 Exchange Drive
• Austin, Texas 78754
• Phone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• ewang_at_tvma.org
• www.txsart.org

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Shameless Plug
Please join us for the 2008 Animals in Disasters
Summit

• WHERE? San Antonio at the Radisson Hill Country
  Resort
• WHEN? February 11-13, 2008
• WHAT? Premier networking opportunity for those
  with an interest in disaster animal issues.
  Continuing education credits. Topics in
  Sheltering, Evacuation, General Interest, and
  Emergency Management.
• WHO? Animal care and control, volunteer groups,
  local and state government planners, emergency
  management coordinators, judges, animal shelter
  groups, veterinarians and veterinary technicians,
  cooperative extension, and state and federal
  animal health officials. Others involved with
  animal care,, impact assessment, search and
  rescue, sheltering and evacuation plans are
  welcome to attend as well.
• 45 early registration/60 late/on-site
  REGISTRATION OPEN NOW

Visit www.txsart.org for more information!!