Planning ahead is the key to keeping yourself and your companion animals safe should a disaster strike close to home. The County of San Diego Department of Animal Control wants to remind you of several simple steps that can significantly reduce the risk of harm to your pet in the event of a disaster.
- Always keep a collar and tag on those animals that should normally wear collars. This includes animals that never go outdoors. The tag should include both your phone number and address. In cases of disasters, the phone lines may not be working, so an address is paramount.
- Start a buddy system with someone in your neighborhood, so that they will check on your animals during a disaster in case you arent home. Include your “buddy” in your veterinarians file, authorizing them to request emergency veterinary treatment, in case you cannot be found.
- In addition to your regular supply of pet food, have at least a weeks supply of water and food on hand to be used during a disaster.
- Have several photographs of your animals taken; put them in a safe place, in case your animals get lost during the disaster and flyers need to be created for placement in the neighborhood.
- If your pet is on long-term medication, ensure that you have enough on hand to take you through a week or two of treatment
- Have a leash, harness and/or carrier for each animal ready, in an easily accessible place in the house, in case you must leave in a hurry for an evacuation.
- Know where the animal shelters or animal rescue organizations are in your area. You may need to go there to identify your found pet or to look for your lost pet.
Make sure your family knows the “family plan” in case of a community disaster. When Evacuation is imminent, it is very likely that people will not evacuate their homes if it means abandoning their pets, so having a plan is beneficial. Dont wait until the last minute to leave your house – this can make the difference between taking your animals and leaving them behind.
The County of San Diego Department of Animal Control is the agency primarily responsible for the care and control of animals during a disaster, including overall coordination of Animal Control, Humane Societies and other rescue group operations throughout San Diego County. These operations include:
Evacuating animals whose lives are in danger.
- Impounding stray and temporarily homeless animals.
- Establishing temporary holding facilities for the animals in our care and at all Red Cross shelters.
Coordinating the return of animals to their owners. - Providing humane disposition of unclaimed, infirm, or injured animals and proper disposition of deceased animals.
- Maintaining a strong liaison with local Humane Societies, the San Diego Zoo, wildlife, ecological and conservations groups
- Providing support to law enforcement agencies, fire departments and other city, county or state agencies and departments as directed or needed.
By Lt. Laura F. Ward, San Diego County Department of Animal Services