Preparing for Animal Care in a Disaster

By Michael Mountain, September 6, 2011

Animals at Ground Zero Heroes in all shapes, sizes, and breeds The dogs and their people who risked their lives to save others Meet One of the Dog Teams “We were a team, and if something wasn’t safe for the dogs, we would say.” Pier 40: Heart of the Operation How the animal rescue teams came together The Four-Legged Heroes How Dorado led his blind person to safety Search & Rescue, Canine Style The Suffolk Country crew sets up the MASH unit Where Are They Now? The dogs of 9/11 – 10 years later Pets in Peril Tweety-Pye gets left behind Diary of a K-9 Team Paul Morgan and Cody join the FEMA team Preparing for Animal Care in a Disaster A few quick tips to help keep you safe If You’re an Animal Organization Working together to build an emergency coalition A Snapshot of the E-mails “I am an active duty Marine. My 10 cats and 2 dogs will not have a home if we go to war…” Other Websites A Memorial Roster Many of the dogs who worked at Ground Zero suffered serious health problems and passed away in the years that followed. A Tribute A preview to radio talk-show host Steve Dale’s book called Dog Heroes of September 11th: A Tribute to America’s Search and Rescue Dogs.

Most people are not prepared to deal with emergencies that affect their animals. Here are a few quick pointers:

1. Make sure all pets wear ID tags at all times. Include the phone number of a trusted friend or relative in another part of town.
2. Keep a sturdy cat carrier for each of your cats.
3. Have an evacuation plan, and make sure you have rehearsed it with your pets.
4. Put “Fireman Alert” notices on your front and rear windows, indicating how many animals live in your home.
5. Keep a good photo of each pet, along with a list of local shelters, rescue groups, and emergency veterinarians. Keep duplicates at home and somewhere else.
6. Two tips when searching for lost pets: When they panic, dogs tend to run as far as they can; cats tend to run for cover to the nearest hiding place.
7. At home, many injuries are caused by falling objects, toppling bookcases, etc. Chain-link fencing holds up better than block wall in the backyard. And frightened cats will jump through broken windows, but not so easily through aluminum mesh screening.
8. After an earthquake, dogs can be terrified by aftershocks. If they’re used to car rides, try putting them in the car since they associate cars with being bumped around!

Next: If You’re an Animal Organization