Transcript Malcolm Myer Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture and ESF

Animal Emergency Planning
for Louisiana Parishes
GOHSEP Meeting
February 5, 2009
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
LVMA
ESF-11
Local Parish
Overwhelmed
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
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
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
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
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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
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)
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)
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
Importance of
Co-located Shelters
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Fewer shelter volunteers required
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Benefits to pet-owning evacuees
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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
Relieves boredom, keeps people busy
Emotionally healthier population
Costs less
Easier shelter closing and parish re-entry
Transportation
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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
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
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 stateoperated transport and shelter
 Small pets in carriers are allowed to ride on owner’s
lap on state-operated evacuation buses
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 [email protected] for
more information
 LSART Web Site: www.LSART.org