Friends of Animals Urges State Disaster Planning for Pets

Online Planning Site Opened

Darien, CT -- Friends of Animals is pleased to offer a new resource for disaster planning with regard to animals in homes.

Recent severe weather disturbances, particularly Hurricane Katrina, show that states must consider pets in evacuation and sheltering plans.

“When pets are barred from public transit or Red Cross shelters,” says Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals, “people understandably risk their lives by avoiding evacuations. Dogs shouldn't be pulled from the arms of kids. People shouldn't be stranded on a fridge with a cat because no one will transport or shelter both of them.”

Friends of Animals conducted a national survey. Each of the 50 states informed us about current state disaster plans, and systems which address animals in disasters.

Some states, such as Florida, have considered the importance of safely bringing animals out of homes when disaster strikes.

But 21 states, including Michigan and Kansas, lack a disaster plan regarding pet evacuation and sheltering. Some other states, such as Alaska and Virginia, only briefly mention pets in their current disaster plans.

Friends of Animals urges each state to develop a plan to provide disaster help for animals in homes, no matter where in the country they are.

Hurricanes and floods are not the only danger to households. Other disasters, according to the Federal Emergency Management Administration, have similarly jeopardized lives or safety because pets were not included in evacuations:

• After a white phosphorus and liquid sulfur spill in Dayton, Ohio in 1984, people attempting to rescue their pets created traffic jams by driving directly against the evacuating traffic.
• After a tornado hit West Lafayette, Indiana in 1994, several people in public shelters showed psychosomatic symptoms as a result of having lost pets.
• Some Georgia residents who weathered the floods of 1994 put off calls to evacuate because they could not take their pets with them. People in boats were obstructed when attempting to retrieve pets from flooded houses.

Sharing knowledge and resources can enable states to save animals during disasters. With this straightforward, informative guide, Friends of Animals offers a resource to encourage networking by state emergency planners, and to inform anyone interested in mitigation, preparedness, rescue and recovery of animals.

How is your state's plan?

Don't wait until it's too late to find out. Visit Animal Disaster Plans of U.S. States.