Animal Emergency Planning for Louisiana Parishes

1. Animal Emergency Planning for Louisiana Parishes GOHSEP Meeting February 5, 2009

2. Concept of Operations • Sheltering and protection of animals is the responsibility of their owners • Parish-designated Animal Emergency Coordinator(s) is the lead agency in all local emergencies • State will support protection of animals as needed, when requested by parish • Requests for parish assistance are routed from local EOC through GOHSEP to State ESF-11, Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry

3. LVMA ESF-11 Local Parish Overwhelmed

4. Legislation & Funding • National Response Framework • Stafford Act • PETS Act amendment • Definition of household pets • Fed’s role in planning and response • FEMA Reimbursement Policy for Household Pets • Classification of Horses and Livestock in NRF • Louisiana Legislation • Animals in Emergency Planning – ESF-11 • LA Pets Act 615 • Definition of household pets • State’s role in planning and response • Parish’s role and responsibility

5. Animal Emergency Planning Goals Goals for Planning, Response and Recovery • Save human lives • Evacuate and shelter people and pets together • Assuring safety of their pets saves lives of pet owners • Many people refuse to evacuate without their pets • Ensure community safety • Animals left abandoned will form packs • Risk of human bites, rabies and other diseases • Un-confined livestock in roadways • Relieve animal suffering • Animals left behind during evacuation are at serious risk of injury, starvation, and death • Owners more likely to put themselves at risk to recover their animals

6. Parish Animal Emergency Plan Components • Identify Animal Emergency Coordinators & animal contacts • All-disaster planning • Sheltering • Transportation • Evacuation assistance • Re-entry and reunification • Public information and messaging

7. Animal Emergency Coordinator(s) • Appointed by OEP Director or other parish official • Small Animal Coordinator (SAEC) • Animal Control Officer, Veterinarian, Sheriff • Equine/Livestock Coordinator (LAEC) • Sheriff, Veterinarian, Cattlemen’s Association, County Agent • Suggested Responsibilities • Available during emergencies to coordinate animal response • Designated as essential personnel • Important role in Parish Planning and Response • Reports to OEP Director • Must be member of parish emergency planning team • Communicates with state partners • Identifies and coordinates local animal response team • Assists OEP Director with annual updating of Parish Animal Plan for LDAF

8. All-Disaster Planning Planning for more than hurricanes • Pre-event timeline • Longer planning time (hurricane, flood) vs. • Short/no advance warning (tornado, chemical spill) • Size of event • Parish-wide (evacuating or receiving parish) vs. • Local event (in-parish evacuation) • Evacuation time • Longer (fire) vs. • Short (train wreck) • Evacuation distance • Out-of-parish (hurricane) • In-parish (tornado, fire)

9. Pet Ownership Statistics • >70% of LA households own pets • Evacuation assistance planning • Determine how many residents will need assistance (10%?) • Calculate number of pets owned by this population • Lafayette train derailment numbers, Gustav and Ivan stats • 2008: est. up to 23,500 pets might need transport during coastal evacuation, actual numbers were 10% of est. • 42% of pets are cats and toy dogs < 8 lbs; qualify as lap pets on buses using current kennel height specifications (8 inches high)

10. Sheltering Any incident that requires sheltering people requires sheltering animals • Identify potential shelter locations • In-parish pet shelter facilities • Mobile pet shelters might be good option • Partnering with another parish • State-operated pet shelters • Co-locate with human shelter • Staffing needs are lower • Security • Shelter management and manpower • LSART Training course • Partnership with humane organization

11. Importance ofCo-located Shelters • Fewer shelter volunteers required • With co-location: 10 pet shelter workers per 500 pets needed to oversee operations • Without co-location: Need 30 pet shelter workers per 500 pets to provide full care • Shelter volunteer billeting often a problem • Benefits to pet-owning evacuees • Relieves boredom, keeps people busy • Emotionally healthier population • Costs less • Easier shelter closing and parish re-entry

12. Transportation • State-assisted vs. Parish-operated pet transport • Lap pets travel with owners • Registration procedures • LSART Training available • Pre-positioning of transport supplies • Stage state-purchased kennels and supplies at parish • Readily available resources

13. Re-entry & Reunification • Assessment of Animal Control facilities and manpower • Assessment of animal care services in community • Veterinary care • Food and water supply (feed stores) • Manpower for animal industries • Continuity of community-based services as soon as safely possible • Reunification not needed when pets transported with owners

14. Public Messaging • Animal ownership is a personal responsibility • Animal owners are required by law to provide care for their animals • Animals should be included in a family’s personal evacuation plan • Only pets of residents needing evacuation assistance will be allowed access to state-operated transport and shelter • Small pets in carriers are allowed to ride on owner’s lap on state-operated evacuation buses

15. Questions? More Information? • LSART/ASPCA 2009 Summit • Animal Emergency Planning Workshop • for State and Parish Emergency Planning Directors, Animal Emergency Coordinators & Animal Control Officers • Friday, March 6, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. • LSU School of Veterinary Medicine • No charge, but pre-registration required • Meals and notes included • Register on-line or email lsartpio@gmail.com for more information • LSART Web Site: www.LSART.org