CARING FOR ANIMALS DURING A HURRICANE

Household Pets – residents remaining at home through the storm

• Bring all pets indoors.
• Keep a supply of newspapers in the bathroom, utility room or enclosed garage for the pet's sanitary needs.
• Feed pets moist or canned food to preserve water.
• Keep pets within sight since the noise of the storm can be frightening to them.
• Never tranquilize your pet. They need their survival instincts.

Household Pets – residents
in an evacuation zone

• Be sure your pet is wearing its current County animal license tag, and attach to the collar the phone number of a family member or friend not in the evacuation zone. A second method of identification is recommended (tattoo or implanted microchip).
• Evacuate as early as possible. Options for you and your pet include:
• Staying with relatives or friends who do not have to evacuate.
• Evacuating to a pet-friendly hotel or motel. Call the hotel or motel before you evacuate to make a reservation, these establishments fill up quickly, and make sure they allow pets. Many change their pet policies during an emergency. For a listing of pet-friendly hotels/motels, click here
• OR call Animal Care at 954-359-1313, Ext. 227.

You can also visit:

DogFriendly.com

Pettravel.com

PetsWelcome.com

TravelDog.com

The Automobile Club of America publishes a book (for members only) that lists hotels and motels accepting pets. Call 800-222-1134 for membership information.

Note to call takers: Pet-friendly hotels and motels fill well in advance of a storm and reservations are many times not available by the time the Hurricane Hotline activates.

• Boarding your pet at a private kennel. Kennels have limited space and most require proof of current vaccinations. Select a kennel not in the evacuation zone. Make reservations early. Be sure your pet is wearing a collar with a current County animal license. It is recommended pets have a tattoo or microchip. For a list of boarding kennels, click here.

Ask your veterinarian if they offer boarding services because as a client, your pet will be given preference over a non-client.

• Evacuating to a pet-friendly hurricane shelter. Because of limited space, this is an option of last resort. It is available only to pet owners living in evacuation areas, or in mobiles homes throughout Broward County. The human side of the shelter is operated by American Red Cross. The pet side of the shelter is operated by the Humane Society. Pets cannot be sheltered unless their owner(s) are also utilizing the shelter. Registered participants will be notified of shelter location.
  
  The pet-friendly shelter is operated on a first come, first served basis.
  
  Residents in an emergency evacuation zone who would like to pre-register for the pet friendly shelter can do so in-person at:
  
  Humane Society of Broward County
  2070 Griffin Road , Fort Lauderdale 

To pre-register in the pet-friendly shelter, you must present the following items:

1. valid proof of residence in an evacuation area, such as an electric, water or cable bill (driver's license is not sufficient proof)
2. valid proof of rabies vaccination and County animal license for your pets
3. name, address and phone number of your veterinarian
4. a current photo of the pets you are planning to bring (photo non-returnable).

Contact the Humane Society of Broward County (954-989-3977) as soon as possible during hurricane season to determine if any space is still available.

Tropical Fish

• Electrical power can go off and stop the aeration pump in tropical fish tanks.
• If the tank has an adapter, pumps can be operated by battery.

Birds

• Transport birds in secure travel cages or carriers without water.
• Keep the cage in a quiet area. Don't let the bird out of the cage.
• Take a photo for identification and either leg band or microchip the bird.
• Bring medicine, medical records, water, food, toys, newspaper or cage liner, and cleaning supplies.

Small Mammals

• Transport hamsters, gerbils, ferrets and other small mammals in carriers suitable for maintaining the animals while at the boarding location.
• Take food, water, bowls, bottles, bedding and other care items.

Reptiles

• A pillowcase makes an excellent transport carrier for reptiles.
• Immediately transfer the reptile to a more secure cage when you reach the boarding location.
• Bring adequate food, a water bowl and heating pad.

Horses and Other Large Animals

Before Hurricane Season Begins

All horse, donkey and mule owners in Broward County should register their horse and other large animals with Broward County’s Large Animal Disaster Planning Committee (LADC).

The large animal registration is important because LADC will be able to plot all registered horses on a Geographic Information System (GIS). GIS is a technology that is used to view and analyze data from a geographic perspective. This will allow LADC to better track its resources and efforts in the event of a disaster. It will also assist in returning lost animals to their owners after a hurricane or emergency situation.

To register, horse owners should visit www.broward.org/extension and click on the “Large Animal” button located on the left side of the page. Owners will then be required to create an account and enter vital description information for their animal. After the account has been established, owners will have the ability to update information and register new animals.

Planning for the Storm:

When possible, shelter large animals in a barn or shed. Do not leave them outdoors, where they may be injured by flying debris or flooding. If an indoor shelter is not available, keep animals on high ground to protect them from rising/flood waters.

Planning for the Storm:

• Assess the storm-worthiness of your stable or barn. Evaluate the sturdiness and wind resistance of your roof, walls, windows and doors. Assess how well your barn is tied into its foundation.
• Make whatever improvements you can to improve the sturdiness of the structure.
• Make sure fences are in good repair. The Extension Education Division recommends board fences nailed to the posts on the inside. When horses push or lean against this type of fence, the nails are pushed further into the post, further securing the rails. Barb wire fences can injure your horse. Chain link and horse wire fences can collect debris and fall down.
• Once you have assessed your property, create a written hurricane plan. Provide copies of the plan to individuals who will help you implement it. Post the plan in a prominent place in the barn. Develop a checklist to ensure that everything is done.
• Preparing for the Storm
• Remove all debris (tree limbs, lumber, fencing, etc.) from the area where animals will be kept. Since wind can carry debris long distances, it is suggested you work jointly with neighbors to remove as much debris as possible from surrounding property.
• If your barn is not strong and you lack appropriate pasturage, consider moving your animals(s) to a more secure facility. If this means evacuating out of the general area, plan early and leave early to ensure you reach your destination well before the storm.
• In a Category I or Category II storm, horses will be safer in a strong, secure barn or stable. In a Category III or Category IV storm, they may be safer outside provided:

--they have room to move (at least 1/4-1/2 acre per animal)

--fences are strong and will not collect debris that will push them over

--there are no overhead power lines that can come down into the pasture

• Make sure you have sufficient hay, feed and water on hand for your animals for at least a week. Horses require 15-20 gallons of water per horse per day. If the electricity is off, your pump probably will not work. Consider investing in troughs that, when filled with water, will be too heavy to tip over.
• Store feed in waterproof containers. Use low grade hay. Hay bales should be covered with tarps and off the ground at least two feet to protect from flooding. Do not leave horses with grain (they may founder).
• Be sure your horse is wearing a leather halter. The halter makes it easier to catch your horse if it gets loose. A leather halter is more likely than a nylon halter to break loose if the horse gets caught on something.
• Bell boots can be used to protect your horses' legs.
• Identify your horse well – at least three forms of identification are recommended:

--spray paint your area code and telephone number on the side of the horse in a contrasting color. Use acrylic paint, which will wear off in 1-2 weeks.

--attach a fetlock band or mare band to your horse with your name, address and telephone number in permanent ink.

--place the horse's identification information on a waterproof luggage tag and braid it into the mane or tail, close to the base.

--attach pertinent information to the halter. Secure tightly in a plastic bag and affix to the halter with packing tape.

--if your horse is tattooed or has an electronic chip, be sure ownership information with the appropriate registry is up-to-date.

• Have photographs of you with your animal to prove ownership. Photos should show any distinguishing animal markings. Keep photos in a safe, dry place and send one copy out of the area.
• Have a supply of commonly used medications and wound treatment supplies on hand in case it is necessary to perform basic first aid.
• As you leave the barn, turn off the electricity at the main switch.
• Web and Other Resources
• For additional information, visit www.broward.org/extension - Large Animal link. Photos of the identification methods are located on this site.
• To order a free videotape on strengthening your barn and developing a hurricane plan (prepared by Broward County Large Animal Disaster Committee), call the Broward County Extension Education Division at 954-370-3725, extension 224. There is a nominal charge for non-Broward County residents.

Pet Care

• Use caution allowing pets outdoors after the storm passes. Leash dogs and keep cats in a carrier. Familiar scents and landmarks may be altered and pets can become confused and lost. Downed power lines and reptiles in high water could present a danger.
• Animals should not be allowed to consumer food or water which may have become contaminated. If you won't drink it, your pet shouldn't either. If the water supply is questionable, you can purify it by adding 8 drops of chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Use 12 drops per gallon if the water is murky.

Lost Pets

• Animal Care officers and residents will bring many of the lost cats and dogs to Broward County shelters after a hurricane. The shelters are located at:

• You will be called by Animal Care if they have your pet, providing that phones are operating and your pet has identification. Otherwise, you will need to visit one of our shelters. Call first for post-hurricane operating hours and information. Call 954-359-1313.

Found Pets

If you find a dog or cat with a license tag or tattoo, you should:

• Visit www.broward.org/animal and select “Licensing Database.” This database contains more than 800,000 records of dogs and cats registered in Broward County since 2000. They can search for the owner of a lost pet using the pet's full or partial license tag or tattoo number.
• After entering the license or tattoo number, the database searches for the owner's name, address, phone number and pet description. If the description of the animal matches the animal you have found, you should call the owner.
• If you do not have access to the web, please call the Broward County Animal Care and Regulation Division at 954-359-1313.

Deceased Animals

• Animal Care Division will be in recovery mode after a disaster and will not be able to assist with dead animal pick-up until normal operations resume. In the meantime, a private company may be able to assist. These are listed in the Yellow Pages under Animal Removal Services.
• Once normal operations resume, residents can call Animal Care at 954-359-1313 , Ext. 400 for removal of small, dead animals. If you, the property owner, is not at home, a note should be left on the front door giving Animal Care permission to enter your property and remove the dead animal.
• Animal Care does not remove large, dead animals (such as horses and cows). You should refer to a private stock removal company, listed in the Yellow Pages under Animal Removal Services.