Approximately two-thirds of all American households own animals. Many companion animals (pets) are considered part of the family and in farm families, livestock are a primary source of income.
In recent disasters, people have not made the most rational decisions about ensuring their own safety when they have pets or livestock to consider by:
- refusing to evacuate and leaving animals
- trying to re-enter an unsafe area to rescue pets
Although the care and safety of humans must be the primary focus in a disaster, planning for pet evacuation, pet-friendly and temporary emergency animal sheltering is of great importance.
RESOURCES
New York State
The Animal Health Diagnostic Center at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University provides information on emerging infectious diseases and diagnostic services available to animal owners through their primary veterinarian.
Empire State Animal Response Team (ESART) - a public-private partnership which serves as a unifying network of organizations, businesses, organizations, government agencies and individuals that support the prevention of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from emergencies affecting animals in New York State. It provides training and resources for county animal response teams (CARTs).
New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM) - the official source of information for agriculture which includes the animal industry division.
Keeping Your Pets Safe in an Emergency - information on a pet evacuation kit and tips on pet safety provided by NY State Emergency Management Office (NY SEMO).
National Resources and Organizations
American Humane Association provides information on animal emergency services.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has disaster response services nationally and in NYS and provides informaton on disaster preparedness, first aid and planning for animals in emergencies.
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) provides:
Ready.gov provides:
- Disaster preparedness information for pet owners
- Community Pet Preparedness Toolkit
Disaster Planning for Farm Animals - USDA's Animal Welfare Information Center.
Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) issues:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides an extensive list of resources that address agriculture-related issues (including livestock) involved in natural disasters.
Wildlife Resources - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Disaster Animal Response Training (DART) and Emergency Animal Sheltering - courses offered by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
Pet-friendly lodging information
Emergency Animal Rescue program (EARS) - United Animal Nations' emergency sheltering and disaster relief services.