Prepare Pets for RI Emergencies
What is my plan of action?
Before the Storm
1. Persons with pets who may be displaced by a disaster should make arrangements NOW for their pets’ safety. If you will need help to evacuate (e.g., if you have a disability) and have a pet, inform the public safety, police, or emergency management office in your town as soon as possible.
2. Be sure licenses and vaccinations are up-to-date.
3. Assemble a Pet ID Pack and a Go Kit (go to www.dem.ri.gov/animals for more details on what to include in your pack and kit).
4. Keep a copy of the Pet ID Pack with you and send a copy to your “buddy.”
5. In case it is best to stay put, identify a place at home to keep your pets indoors, ideally comfortable and convenient, but also sheltered from outside hazards.
6. In case an evacuation is necessary, do not assume that public shelter will also accommodate animals (except for service animals such as guide dogs). Make and keep up-to-date a list of pet-friendly motels, reliable friends, or relatives where you and your pets could seek shelter together and a list of kennels. These places should be well separated from your home, but close to the interstate or evacuation route. Call ahead to ask if there is space and if special forms of payment or security deposits need to be readied. If you can not take your pet with you, please contact one of the following RI State Emergency Pet Shelters:
Bristol Animal Shelter (401) 253-4834
Pawtucket Animal Shelter (401) 722-4243
Potter League for Animals (401) 846-8276
South Kingstown Animal Shelter (401) 789-5515
Westerly Animal Shelter (401)-348-2618
7. Arrange now for transportation of pets and carriers, especially if you may need assistance.
After the Storm
Planning and preparation will help you endure the disaster, but your home may be a very different place afterward, whether you have taken shelter at home or elsewhere.
If your pet is with you…
– Don’t let pets roam loose. Familiar landmarks and smells might be gone, and your pet will probably be disoriented. Pets can easily get lost in such situations.
– For a few days, keep dongs on leashes and keep cats in carriers inside the house. Be patient with your pets after a disaster. Try to get them back into their normal routines as soon as possible, and be ready for behavioral problems that may result from the stress of the situation.
If your pet might be lost…
– Act quickly, but remain calm.
– Ask around your neighborhood.
– Hand out flyers with a picture of your pet and contact information for you.
– Start checking animal shelters or municipal pounds within about 20 miles of your home.
– Put an ad in local papers.
Source: What to do with common household pets (dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and rodents) in the event of an emergency. Prepare Pets For RI Emergency. Providence, RI: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Division of Agriculture, Print.