Petfinder Blog

September 3, 2008--The Weather Channel is reporting about the big difference for pets during Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Katrina. With Gustav, pet evacuations were a top priority for 

September 2, 2008--Hurricane Katrina was a terrible disaster for pets in New Orleans. But not this time with Gustav. The Louisiana SPCA, Pasado's Safe Haven, IFAW, Best Friends Animal Society, the Humane Society of the US and many other animal rescue groups coordinated with seamless cooperation and were able to affect a real difference for pets. The groups transported pets from shelters in the path of the storm to safer locations, housed pets whose owners couldn't take the pets with them for whatever reason, picked up abandoned animals, coordinated lost and found efforts with pets and often didn't leave the areas until the last minute because they were taking care of pets.

Shelter Update from Magic Happens Rabbit Rescue:

From an LA shelter, thank you so much for the words of encouragement and offering of help. It means a lot to see everyone on their toes AHEAD of time offering help instead of waiting, both here locally and nationally.

We are in Baton Rouge and had very little damage during Katrina, even though there was flooding and wind damage all around us. We are staying to help others and evacuees staying with family here, as all the evacuation cities are south of us. We have most of our volunteers and even someformer adopters scheduled to come out on Sunday to clean all cages and carriers, label every carrier, cage, and rabbit (our rabbits are tattooed with "MHR" in the ear while under anesthesia for their spay or neuter), and write their names and our phone number in their ears with sharpies, just in case. We have all vet records printed and our few with health problems have backup meds stowed away, and thankfully our vet is close and is on call during all of this, and caring for quite a few evacuee pets at her facility. She has a generator and air condition in every room and has extended the invitation for us to board there if needed. Of course all of our gang will be kept inside for the storm, and the only damage we may see is trees/limbs falling on the roof. We have enough feed and hay to last 2 weeks, so we should be OK. Now the only question is, will our outdoor lean-to's and hutches survive?
Thanks again for letting shelters be aware of the assistance available AHEAD of time, so that it's not relying on word of mouth after the fact. As a rescuer and pet-slave, I greatly appreciate it.

Wendy
www.magichappensrescue.com
Magic Happens Rabbit Rescue

Sept.1, 2008--The Kansas City Star reports that pets in Hurricane Gustav's path have been getting better treatment this time around:

Three years after pet owners were reduced to tears while being forced to leave their dogs and cats in neighborhoods ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, emergency response officials are taking extraordinary care to ensure animal safety during Hurricane Gustav.

At the bus station, a designated pick-up point for evacuees, a pet registration center was set up under green tents. Dozens of white pet-traveling crates were stacked against the curb.

"We're making sure the pets go where their owners go," said Sandy Cochran, South Carolina state coordinator with United Animal Nations, who came to New Orleans to help with the effort. "During Katrina, there was really no plan for what to do with pets.

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Before pet owners boarded a bus, they filed out paperwork about their animal and were given a paper bracelet with a code number on it, she said. That code number was then written on the traveling crate along with the names of the pet and owner.

The pets were loaded onto 18-wheel trucks, which follow their buses to their destination. Every two hours, the truck driver stops to check on the animals, which are fed, watered and kept cool.

A veterinarian was on stand-by at the registration tent to treat sick or injured animals, Cochran said. State officials said they requested about 150 trucks to help transport pets out of the city.

Thankfully, it seems the painful lessons learned during Katrina about how to care for pets in disaster situations are paying off in Hurricane Gustav. We are also very thankful for the disaster preparedness steps taken by the Best Friends Animal Society:

As with Hurricane Katrina, our Rapid Response team was first on the ground last week, helping local agencies prepare for Gustav. Over the past few days, we've helped move hundreds of shelter animals out of the area, to neighboring states.

And today, when we heard people with pets were being turned away from evacuation buses (because they didn't have pet carriers!), our team responded with three thousand pet carriers to be sure those folks could evacuate with their pets.

When we confirmed with officials that still some pet owners left pets behind, in back yards and tied to porches, our staff stayed on to help animal officials get those pets to shelter, too.

August 31, 2008--Petfinder wants to hear from Gulf state residents in the path of the storm. Let us know how you are faring as you prepare yourself, your family and your pets for Hurricane Gustav. Post your comments here. And stay safe. We're monitoring the situation and will continue our efforts to help pets and families affected by the storm.

August 31, 2008--The Humane Society of South Mississippi will provide a shelter from Hurricane Gustav for domesticated pets on the grounds of Harrison Central High School, at 15600 School Road north of Gulfport, MS starting at 6:00 pm today (Sunday, 8/31/08). The school will open a shelter for humans at the same time.

A society spokesman said pet owners who use the storm shelter for animals must:
--stay at the shelter for people inside the high school
--bring the pet in a kennel or crate
--provide the pet's medical record
--provide enough food and water for each pet to last three days
--bring and use plastic bags for the pet's waste
--bring a photo of the pet with the owner or some other proof that the pet belongs to the person
--provide the pet some attention and exercise while the owner and pet are in their shelters
--bring the pet's microchip file, if available.

August 31, 2008--UPDATE FROM IFAW: The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has been asked by the Louisiana State Veterinarian to send a team to help the State Animal Rescue Team (SART) in setting up temporary shelters in New Orleans, pre-storm. The agreement specifies that animal rescue groups send a team (minimum 10 people) to take over a section of a 'mega-shelter' which will be set up in New Orleans, at a suitable location such as a fairground.

The storm is expected to hit the Gulf coast on Tuesday morning, and New Orleans is the forecast location--although, as of now, there is considerable uncertainty about where landfall will eventually be.The whole situation on the ground, pre-Gustav is complicated by the presence of a second tropical storm (Hannah) out to the East.

Should there be a need for animal search and rescue operations post landfall, those of our IFAW team suitably qualified will leave sheltering operations and head to the disaster scene--wherever that is--to help with animal search and rescue.

The Petfinder.com-IFAW rescue truck and trailer (above) are being readied this weekend and will probably head down to Louisiana on Tuesday. We think the storm will probably wreak its havoc on Tuesday and Wednesday, so search and rescue could start as early as Thursday (during the storm itself, it is not possible to be active within the area affected).

August 30, 2008--Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal released information about evacuations from the State as Hurricane Gustav approaches. Having learned from Katrina, government officials are encouraging residents to take their pets with them when they evacuate. Here is important information regarding pet evacuations:

A pet evacuation center for residents with critical transportation needs will be open in Shreveport in accordance with the timeline set by the local parish OEP officials. It is only for evacuees with critical transportation needs, and those residents are instructed to coordinate with their local OEP offices to arrange transportation for themselves and their pets to the shelter.

Pets under 15 pounds that are carried in a pet carrier will be allowed to travel with their owners on the bus transports (soft-sided carriers are preferred). Larger pets will be placed in size-appropriate pet carriers and bussed separately from their owners to the pet/owner shelter.

Other shelters for self-evacuators for pets and owners will open as storm and evacuation conditions dictate. Pets must have proper identification - preferably something permanent like a microchip or tattoo. Dogs and cats need to have proof of annual rabies and other vaccinations. It's also very important to have collars, leashes, harnesses and kennels for confining animals when necessary. Muzzles may be appropriate for animals that are apprehensive in unfamiliar settings. Pet owners should bring at least a three-day supply of food, water and medications for their animals.

August 30, 2008---Petfinder.com has member animal shelters in Louisiana and the Gulf coast. We are in touch with these shelters to find out how they are doing and what we can do to help. Here are some of the updates we've gotten from shelters scrambling to get ready for Hurricane Gustav:

We are located in Olive Branch, MS at the Northwest corner. Some of the animal clinics in our area are getting a lot of calls for boarding of animals from Louisiana. I have checked with a local PetSmart in Memphis and they are also nearly booked full with reservations.
People are preparing to leave with their pets this time and making provisions for them early. Hopefully everyone will be safe. I am trying to get the media involved to do a story about people coming our way Friday and Saturday.

Vickie with our group works at Olive Branch Animal Clinic. They are booked full but she is staying after hours on Saturday to get pets into the boarding facility for the people that can't make it before noon on Saturday.
When the storm hits we are hoping to line up other facilities such as churches to accommodate people and their pets.

Denise

Hi!!This is the Louisiana SPCA.

All of our adoptable animals are being moved to Dallas, and all owned and stray animals are going to Baton Rouge.

Our Web site will have up-to-the-minute info: http://www.la-spca.org/

Many thanks!!!
Louisiana SPCA

The Atlanta Humane Society has close to 150 animals being readied to depart the East Lake Animal Shelter (Jefferson Parish) in New Orleans at this time. It looks like things could get bad down there from this storm. Good to see so many people working together. Hopefully all of our proactive measure will result in fewer animals needing assistance after the storm. Good luck to all!

Richard K. Rice,

Vice President and General Manager
Atlanta Humane Society
981 Howell Mill Road N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30318
www.atlantahumane.org

August 30, 2008--Not just people are being evacuated from

NOTE: Foster homes needed for shelter pets in St. Tammany Parish

A special request is being made for foster homes for pets currently in the St. Tammany Humane Society. Please call (985) 892-7387 if you can foster a pet

to get them out of the way of possible flooding of the St. Tammany shelter. (Shelter workers say that if necessary you can evacuate with your foster pet.)

August 30, 2008--With forecasters predicting that Hurricane Gustav could strike New Orleans as early as Monday, New Orleans' city leaders warned that anyone who failed to evacuate the city would find no government-provided shelter. Residents as well as tourists are being urged to leave the city as soon as possible.

More than 700 buses are being used to evacuate up to 30,000 people today, including the sick and elderly, who have no other means of transportation. The "city-assisted" evacuation is to be followed by a mandatory evacuation order over the weekend, depending on the storm's progress. Trucks will be brought in to evacuate pets from the city, said Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Petfinder.com urges evacuees to take steps to ensure their pets' safety. Make sure to put identifying collars and tags on your pets, place pets in pet carriers with your pet's name, your name and cell phone number on the top. You will need to have pets in carriers to be able to use "city-assisted" transportation. Petfinder.com urges evacuees to take their pets with them when they leave.

Aug. 29, 2008--Evacuation update for Louisiana residents:

Louisiana residents who need assistance evacuating before Hurricane Gustav hits should call their parish administrative offices. Every parish has an evacuation and disaster response plan in place. All parishes also have local Offices of Emergency Preparedness which can be contacted for information about evacuations, transportation and shelters. For contact information, see this list of Parish Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Contact Numbers.

--In addition, residents can also call 311 to request evacuation assistance.

--Residents who chose to drive themselves to safety can get a list of public pet shelters from Red Cross Welcome Centers along the evacuation routes.

See also:

Red Cross Moving People and Supplies to Gulf Coast

Red Cross Gearing Up for Gustav

Friday, August 29: 5:00 PM EDT--The Humane Society of the United States released a statement today urging Gulf coast residents to include their pets in any disaster plans they make as Hurricane Gustav bears down on the U.S.. Saying in part:

"As Gulf Coast residents mark the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, they are once again under the threat of a potentially very serious hurricane," said Scotlund Haisley, senior director of Emergency Services for The HSUS. "I urge residents to prepare now for the possibility of evacuation orders by preparing a pet disaster kit and making plans to evacuate with your animals. If it's not safe for you, it's not safe for your pet."

On our Disaster Preparedness page, Petfinder.com has a Disaster Plan, a Disaster Preparedness Kit Checklist and many other tools to assist in preparations for the storm.

Friday, August 29: 1:00 PM EDT--Petfinder is tracking Hurricane Gustav on the WAPT-tv website. Gustav is forecast to hit the U.S. mainland sometime Tuesday morning as a substantial category 3 hurricane. Right now, forecasters are predicting landfall will be the Louisiana coast west of New Orleans, or the coast of Texas.

Quick Tips for Disaster Preparation

-- Prepare your disaster plan and review it with all your family members.

-- Take photos of your pet with your cell phone. If you and your pet become separated, the pictures will help rescue groups reunite you more easily.

-- Have a pet carrier ready for your pet in case of evacuation. You will need a carrier for safe transport in your car and for any public evacuation transportation. Also, emergency shelters will not take pets without carriers. Write the pet's name and your cell phone number on the top of the carrier, in permanent ink.

-- If you do have to evacuate, take your pet with you. We learned from Hurricane Katrina and Rita. Don't risk your pet's safety and life.

This blog post will be updated with fresh news and information as we get it.