VDART can provide resources on including pets in all levels of planning for pet owners, animal facility managers and emergency management directors.
For Pet Owners
Your pet is an important member of your family. The likelihood that you and your animals will survive an emergency depends largely on emergency planning done today. What’s best for you is typically what’s best for your animals. Follow these simple tips for preparing your pets for emergencies. Planning for horses and farm animals takes extra consideration.
For Animal Facilities
Animal facilities include animal shelters, kennels, veterinary clinics and hospitals, pet shops, horse stables, and other facilities where animals are routinely housed. It’s vital that animal facilities prepare for disasters, both to protect the animals housed there and to safeguard the facility itself. A lack of planning can increase the magnitude of the disaster for humans and animals alike, while a proactive approach allows an organization to mitigate injuries, damage and downtime. Follow these guidelines for preparing your animal facility for disaster.
For Emergency Managers
VDART can provide advice on incorporating pets into community planning efforts, and using sample plans and templates can also save time and resources. This sample pet shelter agreement and permit of pet occupancy were both developed by the town of Athens in order to prepare for pet families in their pre-designated local emergency shelter.
VDART also provides standard operating procedures and standardized forms that can be used to ensure that best practice standards are being met while sheltering pets in an emergency setting.
VDART is a partner in the state’s Animal Disaster Emergency Plan managed by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.
Contact us for more information on available disaster response resources for animals.