As Hurricane Irene approaches, include family pets in emergency evacuation plans
Posted By Admin on September 3, 2011
A few months ago, when the Monument Fire spread rapidly toward homes and ranches in Southern Arizona, families were forced to flee due to a hasty mandatory evacuation. Horses and large livestock that could not be evacuated via trailer were spray painted with their owners phone number and turned loose to evacuate themselves.
Many dogs and cats were on the loose in the midst of the panic and fear. Because animals tend to hide out when they become afraid, many families were forced to flee without their companion pets. In addition to fearing for their homes and their livelihood, many families also were heartsick over the thought that their pets had been left to fend for themselves. Obviously this added a great deal of stress to an already stressful situation.
In the aftermath of the Monument Fire, there were pages and pages of families posting lost pet notices. Happily, most lost pets were reunited with their families having been taken in by strangers, or by surviving on instinct.
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