Seeing beyond the eye of the storm

An advanced meteorologist’s warning and a contraflow traffic jam don’t always accompany disasters and emergency evacuations. When a train derailment spilled 10,000 gallons of toxic hydrochloric acid in May 2008, nearly 3,000 Lafayette residents in a one-mile radius had less than a half-hour to vacate their homes.

That’s why Renee Poirrier, DVM, director of the Louisiana State Animal Response Team, recommends pet owners have an evacuation plan and keep an updated animal evacuation kit accessible year-round.

LSART and LSU School of Veterinary Medicine offer these suggestions to help owners stay prepared for animal evacuation.

Devising a pet evacuation plan requires:

• Determination: Resolve to do whatever is necessary to evacuate with your pet. While leaving a car-anxious animal at home may be tempting, you may not be able to return quickly. The safest place for your pet is with you.

• Confirmation: If you are staying with friends or family, make sure your pets are invited long before you arrive on the doorstep. If not, ask for recommendations of nearby veterinary or boarding kennels and make reservations in advance.

• Destination: If you are going to a hotel, call ahead and make sure animals are welcome. For online information about pet-friendly hotels, visit http://www.bringyourpet.co,, http://www.petswelcome.com, and http://www.pets-allowed-hotels.com.

An animal evacuation kit should contain:

• A one-week supply of pet food

• Food bowl

• Water bowl

• Bottled water

• Leash

• Collar

• Cat litter box and litter

• Guinea pig, gerbil or other rodent cage and shavings

• Trash bags for stool disposal

• Newspaper or towels for crate lining

• Heartworm preventative

• Flea and tick protection

• A two-week supply of medications

• An entire exotic pet habitat including heat lamps and extension cords

• Rabies tag

• Proof of vaccinations: Keep a copy of the current year’s annual exam records. That way you don’t have to scramble to get to the vet when a disturbance threatens in the Gulf.

• Portable kennel: Find a model large enough for the pet to stand and turn around. Collapsible wire crates are best if your pet might be in a non-air conditioned environment for a long time. Molded-plastic airline-approved crates make for easier transport pets who don’t travel well in the car.

• Identification: While pictures that capture your pet’s identifying features are helpful, the best form of identification is a tattoo or microchip, which is a tiny permanent identification tag, placed under your pet’s skin by a vet. By registering your name and address with the microchip company, your pet can be scanned and instantly identified at any shelter, vet or other animal facility.

At the very least, your pet should have a tag with your name and your phone number. Poirrier recommends adding an out-of-area contact number. If communication lines are down in your region, a rescuer may stand a better chance of getting through to a relative or friend in a different area code or region of the country.

For more information, visit LSART or vetmed.lsu.edu.

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