Care of Animals Evacuated in a Disaster

1
Care of Animals Evacuated in a Disaster

• Gold Coast City Disaster Welfare Model

29 January 2009
2
Overview

• Animal Welfare not Animal Management
• Abandoned animals
• Gold Coast City Disaster Welfare Model
• Guide dogs
• Challenges for the future.

3
Animal Welfare not Animal Management

• Attitude shift for Government
• Identifies the wider impact of disasters
• Aids in easing the stress on evacuees
• Reduces the secondary impact of animal
  abandonment.

4
Abandoned Animals

• Caused by not being prepared
• Poor government policies i.e. no animals allowed
  at shelters
• Owners not being prepared
• Owners perishing in disaster refusing to leave
  their pets behind
• Creates both an animal welfare andmanagement
  issues
• Hurricane Kattrina estimated 50,000abandoned
  animals of which10,000 were rescued.

5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
(No Transcript)
8
(No Transcript)
9
(No Transcript)
10
(No Transcript)
11
Gold Coast City Disaster Welfare Model
12
Operations of Emergency Shelters / Evacuation
Centres
13
Set up
14
Emergency ShelterManagement
Australian Red Cross
15
Reception
Australian Red Cross, St John Ambulance Animal
Welfare Team
16
Registration
Australian Red Cross
17
Personal Support
Australian Red Cross
18
Triage
St John Ambulance
19
First Aid
St John Ambulance
20
Meals - Preparation
Salvation Army
21
Meals - Dinning
Salvation Army
22
Material Aid
St Vincent de Paul Society
23
Pets - Registration
Council, RSPCA AWL
24
Pets Care Onsite
Council, RSPCA AWL
25
Pets - Offsite Care (Fostering)
RSPCA
Longer Term Pet Care
26
Onsite Animal Care

• Separate
• Undercover
• Well ventilated
• Protected from the elements eg Tarps.

27
Onsite Animal Care

• Dog / cat crates
• Water
• Food
• Visual Barriers or blankets to minimise animal
  stress.

28
Onsite Animal Care

• Animals never left unattended
• Regular toilet breaks
• Exercised.

29
RSPCA - Foster Care Network

• Longer term pet care
• Temporary accommodation (no animal policies)
• Reduces stress to pets
• Builds confidence with owners
• Better tracking of pets
• Provides a personal touch.

30
Guide Dogs

• Remain with their masters
• Crates and blankets provided for dogs to rest
  when not working
• Longer term care via the agencies that own the
  animals.

31
Challenges for the Future

• Continued planning and preparation
• Public Education.

32
Encourage Responsible Pet Ownership

• Encourage pet owners to plan for the care of
  their animals during a disaster
• Emergency kits to include pets
• Evacuation plan to include pets
• Consider care of pets with family and friends
• Pet abandonment to be last resort and to be done
  responsibly.

33
Emergency Kit for Pets

• Carrier or crate
• Vaccination records
• ID Tags and microchip
• Photo of pet with family
• Collar and leash
• Food and water
• Bowls
• Medications
• Litter pan
• Comfort toys, beds, treats etc
• Health Record
• Cleaning Items
• First aid kit.

34
Questions ?