Disaster planning for pets - Life In America

IN THE OVERWHELMING tragedy of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, while workers frantically tried to find and save possible survivors in the rubble, another rescue effort was underway as well. In the evacuated apartments surrounding Ground Zero, companion animals waited faithfully for the return of their displaced families. These owners had left for work that morning, never comprehending the horror that would change the fate of so many in such a short time, never knowing as they petted and/or murmured goodbyes to their beloved dog, cat, rabbit, bird, etc. that soon the animals would be frantic for their safe return.

Over the next few days, rescue workers from local agencies escorted people through police barricades into damaged buildings to be reunited with their companion animals, or took keys to enter apartments to retrieve frightened and hungry pets. As a result, few animals died in relation to the attacks, and families who were already reeling in shock were spared that additional grief.

Most Americans were probably unaware of efforts to save the animal victims of the World Trade Center attack, but few natural or manmade disasters in this country have been without animal victims. More than half the families in America have pets. When disaster strikes, the safety and lives of those animals are threatened. Rescue doesn't always come in time, so it is vital that those of us who share our lives with companion animals plan for their safety during evacuations, when sheltering at home, or even when we are not available ourselves.

Don't be fooled into thinking that you won't be a victim of a disaster. There is no place in this country, or any other for that matter, that is immune. Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, winter storms, earthquakes, hazardous material spills, and now terrorist attacks are all possibilities, and the nightly news is filled with stories of people who thought it would never happen to them. Hope that it never happens to you, but with disaster plans for your entire family, including pets, you will be prepared if your luck doesn't hold out.

If you evacuate, take your pets with you. I grew up in Florida with its annual threat of hurricanes. The refrain at that time was, if an evacuation was ordered, the humans got in the car and went to a safe shelter, while dogs, cats, or other pets were locked in the bathroom with three days of food and water where they could be safe. Of course, it never occurred to us to consider what was so magical about our bathrooms that they would protect our animals when they were not safe for us.

In 1992, the fallacy of that message came home in the guise of Hurricane Andrew. As it gained in strength and honed in on the area south of Miami, hundreds of thousands of people heeded the dire warnings of authorities and fled to evacuation shelters, hotels/motels, and the homes of family and friends. The message to "leave your pet at home" was repeated on television and radio, and the panicked masses dutifully complied. On the morning of Aug. 24, Andrew came ashore with winds gusting up to 177 miles per hour. Tens of thousands of residences were torn apart, and an estimated 170,000 people were left homeless. Animals were caught up in the storm and blown away, were buried in the remains of their former homes, or ran terrorized through devastated neighborhoods. Many were killed or wounded terribly by flying debris and collapsing buildings.

In the aftermath, as the human survivors slowly pulled themselves from the rubble, so did their companion animals. Some stayed in place waiting for their owners' return; others, frightened by a world that was no longer familiar, began a search for nourishment and comfort. As they wandered, they became victims of cars, other animals, contaminated food and water, or accidents.

For the next two months, I joined an array of good Samaritans from around Florida and the rest of the country in a quest to help the homeless pets of Andrew. Over 600 of the thousands of lost dogs and cats found safety and a new life in our compound, which was composed of Army tents and surrounded by recreation vehicles and camping facilities. Some companion animals were reunited with their owners, but most were not. Every day was filled with tearful people standing in line under the hot sun, clutching at the hope that their pet had found its way to our compound.

Thousands of reports were filled out concerning lost pets, and each had its own sorrow-soaked story. Branded into my memory is the father who evacuated his wife and children to a shelter, leaving behind three cats locked in the bathroom of their mobile home. After the storm, he frantically tried to retrieve the cats, only to find the home and all its neighbors completely gone. As he looked through the book of photos of cats that we had provided haven for, his voice broke as he spoke of his wife and children's nonending grief for their pets. He returned to the compound several times in the following weeks, but, despite the large number of cats rescued from the destroyed mobile home parks, none were the right ones for his family.