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Relief in Times of Disaster

Denise Flaim | Animal House

July 10, 2001

YOU'VE SEEN THE pictures umpteen times - flood survivors, clutching kittens to their sodden chests; earthquake victims, picking over the plywood pieces that were once a home, their forlorn dog trailing behind them.

Long Islanders and those in the metro area aren't likely to suffer through natural disasters severe enough to be filmed for that cheesy old TV show "When Havoc Struck." But occasionally, we are confronted with local acts of God - an apartment house burns to the ground, hurricane weather turns a coastal community sloshy. Homes become uninhabitable, and figuring out what to do with the animals that live in them becomes a quandary.

"There's a difference between what you think is a disaster and what actual disasters are," says Howard Flynn, an equine veterinarian in Medford who is past president of the Long Island Veterinary Medical Association (LIVMA).

"Though it's not an earthquake, on a smaller scale if your house burns down, that's a disaster, too."

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Flynn is a member of the Pet Safe Task Force, a program of the Nassau County chapter of the American Red Cross that aims to help companion animals and livestock in need of disaster relief. It was formed in the wake of Hurricane Floyd nearly two years ago, when some county residents refused to evacuate because they couldn't take their pets with them.

And you still can't, at least not at Red Cross shelters, where pets aren't permitted. What the Pet Safe program helps disaster victims do is place their pet in a temporary shelter through a network of public and private resources: For example, some of the 350 members of LIVMA have kennel space available in emergencies. North Shore Animal League can kick in room and board in its mobile adoption camper. And the county's animal control facilities will also ante up space, provided you are comfortable with accepting donated lodging at a kill facility. (I wouldn't be: Though many shelter employees are conscientious and hard-working, mix-ups can and do happen.)

Those less-than-ideal options underscore the reality of pet- disaster plans, not only locally but all over the country: You're better off planning for the worst for yourself, because the alternatives are a little hazy. The bigger the disaster, the fewer your options - what Flynn calls "any port in a storm."

"We would prefer that the pet owners come up with their own plans," he continues, pointing out that responsible pet ownership is not exactly a given: On Long Island, he estimates, only about 20 percent of dogs are licensed.

Friends or family members can usually be persuaded to put up a single cat or dog; paying for boarding at a commercial kennel or your vet is another possibility. But for people with multiple animals or exotic ones, the options narrow: Aunt Jenny might not jump at the chance to care for your 4-foot iguana.

So in an attempt at foresight, here are some things to consider:

Crate-train your cat or dog. Keeping an animal confined for long periods in a molded-plastic crate or carrier is hardly optimal. But it might make the difference in, say, convincing a cat-centric friend to shelter your dog.

Cultivate a home away from home. Pet sitters provide more than daily visits for "latch-key" animals. Many also will board clients' animals in their homes. For that reason, it's smart to have a relationship with a pet sitter, perhaps having the person stop in once a week or every other week to walk and play with your animals, even if they don't "need" it. That way, if an emergency - or, for that matter, a vacation - crops up, you'll have a person who would not only be willing to take them, but who also knows and likes them. For more information, check out www.petsitters.org.

Compile a "resume." In the event you have to hand off an animal in a hurry, keep an up-to-date record of any health issues, allergies, medications, proof of vaccinations, food preferences, vet information, behavioral issues, etc. It could be an invaluable "cheat sheet" for whomever cares for your animal down the line. Make several copies, and don't keep them all in the same place.

Make sure the animal can be identified. At minimum, this means identification tags. But more permanent IDs, such as tattoos or microchips, are another option.