Last year, over 100,000 people were displaced by Hurricane Sandy. The massive “superstorm” cut a swath of destruction 1,100 miles wide, across 24 states, leaving hundreds of thousands of homes badly damaged and uninhabitable or, in many cases, completely destroyed. Almost 2 million people were without power or heat, days and weeks after the storm.
Many of the people displaced by the mandatory evacuation orders from New York City to Atlantic City were pet owners. And, while some of the shelters allowed evacuees to bring their pets with them, not all areas in Sandy’s path had made emergency provisions for animals. For public health reasons, many emergency shelters (and in some cases all of the designated emergency shelters) refused to accept pets, even those in carriers.
As a result of the lack of shelters that could provide animal care, thousands of pets were marooned in flooded homes, or had gone missing in badly storm-damaged areas.
And now, even 9 months after the event, local shelters and rescues are still stretched to their limits with four-legged refugees. These shelters have taken in as many animals as they can pack
into their already full facilities, and have been trying diligently to re-unite the pets with their owners.
Preparing for pets now will help them survive later – Photo Credit: Monmouth County SPCA
So what are the lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy for pet owners – and what can we do to prevent this tragedy from being repeated?
Here are 6 great tips – summarized from the Ready.gov site – to help you prepare for your pets before the next disaster hits:
2. The likelihood that you and your pets will survive an emergency such as a fire or flood, or hurricane depends upon the emergency preparedness planning you do today. These include assembling an animal emergency supply kit and developing a pet care buddy system. Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to make it on your own for at least three days, maybe longer. Remember: boarding kennels, veterinarians and animal shelters will need your pet’s medical records to make sure all vaccinations are current. So, be sure to include copies of these documents in your “pet survival kit” along with a photo of your pet – and a recent photo of you! -in case you are separated.
3. Make a back-up emergency plan in case you can’t care for your animals yourself. Develop a buddy system with neighbors, friends and relatives to make sure that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so.
4. If you are forced by mandatory evacuation of your home, Please! Unless you have no other alternative DON’T LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND! Pets most likely cannot survive on their own and if by some remote chance they do, you may not be able to find them when you return.
5. Since many public shelters cannot host pets for public health reasons, plan in advance for shelter alternatives that will work for both you and your pets; consider loved ones or friends outside of your immediate area who would be willing to host you and your pets in an emergency.
6. If the worst should happen – an emergency in which you have no alternative but to leave your pet at home – confine your pet to a safe area inside. Please don’t EVER leave your pet chained outside! Leave them loose inside your home with food and plenty of water. Remove the toilet tank lid, raise the seat and brace the bathroom door open so they can drink. Place a notice outside in a visible area, advising what pets are in the house and where they are located. Provide a phone number where you or a contact can be reached as well as the name and number of your vet.
