Weathering the Storm: Animal Shelters

Hurricane Milton just arrived in Florida bringing life threatening conditions and incredible destruction.  I watched the news and saw people evacuating the projected hardest hit areas, read about the opening of shelters in the state to help the displaced residents, and I began to wonder. 

I have a daughter with special needs and a mother with dementia.  I have two dogs and a cat.  How challenging would it be to have to relocate not only my human family but also my furry family?  What would I do?  I am positive I could count on my extended family to help my mom and my daughter, but my pets?  Would I have someone temporarily care for them?  Would I have to take them to an animal shelter?

Animal shelters are a great resource not only to help displaced pets, but they also provide community outreach so that pet owners can plan ahead if an emergency occurs. I encourage everyone to spend a little time thinking about what you would do for your pets if you were suddenly displaced from your home. 

What do the animal shelters do to prepare for a hurricane, knowing that there will be an influx of animals before and after the storm has passed?  I only have to think about 2 German Shepherds and a Siamese cat.  Imagine planning for an evacuation of an entire animal shelter.

So, I did a little digging and learned that animal shelters create comprehensive emergency preparedness plans. These plans outline protocols for evacuation, sheltering in place, and communication during a hurricane. Staff members are trained to ensure everyone knows their roles, from animal care to logistics management. They prepare by making sure they have enough medical, food and water supplies.  The shelters assess their facilities to identify vulnerabilities in the actual structure of the building. 

In anticipation of a hurricane, animal shelters will utilize foster care programs to temporarily relocate pets to safe homes. This reduces overcrowding and allows for better use of resources during and after the storm.

Shelters will even evacuate animals if necessary. I thought the evacuation of human beings was a logistical nightmare but my mind is a little blown thinking about evacuating animal shelters.  You need staff or volunteers to provide safe transportation for animals of every kind, shelters that are able and willing to accept an influx of new animals, great communication to ensure everyone knows what they are doing…eeesh.  And then there are the animals that have special needs, such as those that are elderly, ill, or require extra care. Shelter staff would need to make individualized plans for these animals.

The work doesn’t stop once the storm has passed. Shelters must prepare for post-hurricane recovery by establishing plans for assessing damage, caring for animals that may have been displaced, and coordinating with rescue organizations. They also prepare to handle an influx of animals, whether from lost pets or strays that need shelter. 

If you want to help in animal disaster relief, contact your local humane society or the Humane Society of the United States www.humanesociety.org.  If you want to help out your fellow humans, check out the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org .

Stay safe my friends and thanks for reading!