Care of Animals Evacuated in a Disaster Gold Coast City Disaster Welfare Model 29 January 2009
Dec 19, 2015
Overview
• Animal Welfare not Animal Management• Abandoned animals • Gold Coast City Disaster Welfare Model• Guide dogs• Challenges for the future.
Animal Welfare not Animal Management
• Attitude shift for Government• Identifies the wider impact of disasters• Aids in easing the stress on evacuees• Reduces the secondary impact of animal abandonment.
Abandoned Animals
• Caused by not being prepared– Poor government policies i.e. no animals allowed at shelters– Owners not being prepared
• Owners perishing in disaster refusing to leave their pets behind• Creates both an animal welfare and
management issues• Hurricane Kattrina estimated 50,000
abandoned animals of which10,000 were rescued.
Gold Coast City Disaster Welfare Model
Facilities SupervisorGCCC
Functional arrangements
Shelter Management TeamAustralian Red Cross
St John Ambulance(Triage & First Aid)
Australian Red Cross(Registration & Personal
Support)
St Vincent De Paul & GCCC(Material Resources)
GCCC, AWL & RSPCA(Animal Welfare)
Salvation Army(Food & Catering)
LifelineCounselling
DCCLDMG & DDMG
Permanent arrangements are being sourced to undertake Childcare when required.
Emergency Shelter ManagerAdmin Assist
ES Operations OfficerES Logistics Officer
Australian Red Cross
Welfare Subcommittee
Recovery Committee
ADRA(Temporary Accomodation)
To Be Confirmed
Onsite Animal Care• Dog / cat crates
• Water
• Food
• Visual Barriers or blankets to minimise animal stress.
RSPCA - Foster Care Network
• Longer – term pet care• Temporary accommodation (no animal
policies)• Reduces stress to pets• Builds confidence with owners• Better tracking of pets• Provides a personal touch.
Guide Dogs
• Remain with their masters• Crates and blankets provided for dogs to rest when not working• Longer term care via the agencies that own the animals.
Encourage Responsible Pet Ownership
• Encourage pet owners to plan for the care of their animals during a disaster
• Emergency kits to include pets• Evacuation plan to include pets• Consider care of pets with family and
friends• Pet abandonment to be last resort and to
be done responsibly.
Emergency Kit for Pets
• Carrier or crate• Vaccination records• ID Tags and microchip• Photo of pet with family• Collar and leash• Food and water• Bowls• Medications• Litter pan• Comfort toys, beds, treats etc• Health Record• Cleaning Items• First aid kit.
Ms Michele RogersPh: 07 5581 5236PO Box 5042 Gold Coast MC Qld 9729 AustraliaEmail: [email protected]: goldcoastcity.com.au
Questions ?