When disaster strikes, animals are often left helpless, unless their owners already have an evacuation plan.
In light of the recent weather phenomena in our area, the North Valley Animal Disaster Group is taking action.
When last weeks tornadoes came dangerously close to Jill Simons home and barn, she started thinking seriously about a pet evacuation plan.
Simon says, I live in
Simon is an eight year volunteer for NVADG.
Since the NVADG teamed up with the International Fund for Animal Welfare, volunteer disaster training has been enhanced.
Vice President of NVADG Scott Armstrong says, Half of our mission is to prepare people or try to educate people to prepare themselves in a disaster.
Now the group is even more prepared for another large scale disaster, like the wildfires of Summer 2008.
Simon says, Its so different when its live. Now we have the proper equipment and four trailers to set up shelters.
NVADG learned a lot during the 2008 wildfires, they want pet owners to have an escape plan, especially for large animals for any type of large disaster.
Make sure your horses can be easily haltered, and loaded into trailer, says Simon.
Simon also suggests having a place out of town where your large animals could be housed.
For household pets, grab their supplies and hunker down in the basement or interior hallway with them.
Armstrong says, Have a small cage, or kennel, put them in there and have enough dog food and portable water obviously and any medications you have.
Whatever the emergency may be, make sure a plan is in place and the animal is comfortable with it.
Animals do get stressed out, so it would be good to practice once or twice, so during a disaster that wont be their first time, says Simon.
The group is currently on stand-by to help with animal rescue in tornado ravaged
Tags: Your Animals
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