Animal Evacuation Plans
August 2005 the United States witnessed probably one of the worst natural disasters in our country’s history. Hurricane Katrina. None of us will ever forget those images we saw of people desperate for help and rescue crews filling boats and airlifting people to safety. But for me the most chilling and heartbreaking images where those of animals left behind. Roof tops with dogs clinging for their lives, cats climbing to the highest possible level of a tree and horses up to their necks in water.
With all the ciaos of this disaster the animals were forgotten. First line responders didn’t have the resources or in some cases the approval to rescue animals. They were told to leave pets behind. Although New Orleans a city known to be built under water never thought they would actually be under water had their awakening; no resources, no help, no game plan. The ignorance of it will never “really” happen to us played out in a hand of bad karma.
Can you imagine? Never, ever would I leave my Boston Terrier Lani behind. And who is it of a political leader to tell me I have to leave my pet? Well, we all learned with Katrina that many people felt the same way I do and they didn’t leave. These folks of Louisiana stayed behind; they refused to abandon their pets. Unfortunately, many of them didn’t live. Human and animal lives were lost to the hands of government. Now what kind of democracy is that?
Less than a year later, the Merrimack Valley experienced its own version of Katrina. We were nearly washed away by the Shawnsheen and Merrimack Rivers in the historic Mother’s Day flood of 2006. Lawrence and North Andover were unrecognizable and Lowell was a city of canoes rowing up and down the streets. Once again, a region that thought that it could never “actually” happen to them…experienced just that. It did!
With the help of Anderson Cooper filming dogs tied to trees to drown, starve and die and interviewing people that had survived going back to their homes desperately looking for their pets, the media started getting the awareness out to the people and to our government. Pets are our family and need to be included in all evacuation plans.
I did my part as an animal advocate and a concerned citizen. I wrote my letter to Congressman John Tierney’s office. My request was for the Essex County to mandate animal evacuation plans in their town municipal plans. Thanks to Congressmen across the country that listened to “their people” voices were heard and action happened. Our leaders developed plans with FEMA and PETS ACT was passed in 2006.
PETS Act
Approved by the federal government in 2006, the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act contains provisions to include companion animals in all disaster planning, according to the Humane Society of the United States. The act requires that local and state governments include pets in all natural disaster evacuation plans in order for these governments to receive Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants. The act also gives FEMA the authority to assist local governments in making such plans. The bill sets aside federal funding to establish pet-friendly emergency shelters and authorizes FEMA to help evacuate those with pets and just the pets themselves.
North Andover also took this very seriously and immediately incorporated animal rescue into the town rescue plan and the town shelter plan. Under the leadership of Jeff Coco, Director of the Town of North Andover’s Emergency Management Team all animals will be included in the rescue process. If the town does set up a shelter at the senior center animals will be allowed. No North Andover first line responder will be told to leave an animal behind.
However, not all goes without a little politics…
If for some reason the town is unable to host a shelter at the senior center, because the devastation is too large or too many people are displaced, or the town doesn’t have the finances to support the shelter ( food water bedding) they may be moved to a regional shelter. This tends to be in Methuen and this is where the politics takes over human and animal rights.
If the shelter is financially backed and managed by FEMA – animals will be allowed.
If the shelter is financially backed and managed by the Red Cross-animals will NOT be allowed.
I called the American Red Cross to ask for an explanation of this and I was told that animals are not and will not be allowed into one of their shelters. Basically they are concerned about people’s allergies and medical conditions. Honestly, I am very disappointed in the Red Cross and apparently they didn’t learn anything from Katrina. Ask any human being whose life was just saved and they were brought to a shelter knowing they will have the opportunity to live, I really don’t think they would mind having a stuffed up nose for a couple of days because a dog may be lying on the cot next to them.
I recommend each of you reach out to your town or city’s emergency management teams and find out what is included in their plan for animal rescues. North Andover has done a wonderful job in creating a plan, just know if you have to leave town please ask if the shelter is a FEMA or Red Cross managed facility. You will have to make your decisions based on that answer. For me if it isn’t FEMA managed I will not be leaving my Lani and I will pray for the best.
This article will be printed in the March issue of The Valley Patriot
Tracey Zysk, owner of Wiggles & Jiggles Pet Care in North Andover MA
It is indeed true, our pets are part of the family. They breath and have will to live, we should value their lives.
ReplyDeleteVanda Gould
Recreational Koi Fish enthusiast