Community Animal Emergency Planning Resources
June 21st, 2021
Community planners, elected officials, organization leaders and businesses play essential roles in establishing overall emergency readiness. This page lists resources that may be helpful to community leadership who wish to establish or improve animal disaster plans.
RedRover’s standard forms
RedRover’s’ temporary emergency animal sheltering forms are increasingly being used as the national standard in animal disaster forms. We have made these forms available to organizations and agencies who wish to use them for their own preparedness and response efforts. RedRover has the following forms available:
- Cage card – Records routine, individual daily care of animals in the shelter; usually attached to an animal’s cage or enclosure
- In-field tag – Completed by field rescue personnel and attached to animal/transport carrier in case animal and paperwork are separated during transport
- Intake – Tracks an animal’s key identifying information while in care, such as owner contact info and origin of animal; triplicate form; kept in binder (or similar), not on animal cage/enclosure
- Lost animal – Documents animals reported missing by owners
- Notice (of animal taken from property) – This poster is used to notify a property owner that their animal(s) have been removed from the property and where they can find them.
- Request for rescue – Documents requests for animal rescue.
To request the forms for your agency’s use, please download our request form and have an officer with your agency/organization complete it. Agencies using the forms are tracked so they can be notified in the event that the forms are updated and to facilitate feedback about their effectiveness.
Memorandum of Understanding
RedRover enters into Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreements with agencies, animal shelters and other types of organizations that may need RedRover’s assistance with a disaster or other emergency that results in a need for temporary emergency animal sheltering. Creating an MOU before the emergency occurs helps expedite assistance when it becomes needed. To inquire about an MOU with your agency or organization, please email us.
Organizations/agencies with resources or examples
The following external links are provided as a service to individuals and community leaders who are interested in improving community-level disaster plans. RedRover posts these links as a service; we are not implying that the referrals and information below are what RedRover considers to be best practices or will apply to every community’s unique situation.
If you have a resource to recommend for this list, please email us.
| Resource | Description |
| Louisiana State Animal Response Team | Shelter transportation and evacuation manual. Links to other examples. |
| Louisiana State University | Guidelines for establishing a shelter for owned animals during a disaster |
| University of California | Division of Agriculture and Natural Resource’s Guide to Disaster Preparedness |
| State of Minnesota – Minnesota Animal Emergency Operations Guidelines | By the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and Minnesota Animal Control Disaster Coalition |
| PetAid Colorado – Formerly Colorado Veterinary Medical Foundation | Animal Emergency Response Planning toolkit |
National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition (NARSC)
RedRover is a founding member of the National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition (NARSC), which is dedicated to improving collaboration and standards in animal emergency response. The following links are to other NARSC member websites that contain emergency planning resources.
- ASPCA – Guidelines and resources to help animal shelters prepare for disaster
Other resources
- FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute – The Emergency Management Institute offers free online, self-paced classes that could be helpful for a community emergency planner, particularly IS-11 Animals in Disaster, Module B: Community Planning.
- American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) – State-by-state list of agencies and resources for disaster planning; disaster planning for veterinarians
- Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) – The CERT National Program Office has released two supplemental training modules about emergency preparedness for animal owners, animal-related functions in emergency management and how to recognize specific animal behaviors. These modules can be used with trained CERT members.
- National Alliance of State Animal and Agricultural Emergency Programs (NASAAEP) – This Alliance is making significant strides in streamlining the communication between NGOs and government in the United States to benefit animals in disaster. Look for standards for sheltering, training and more to be released through this site.
- Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disaster (CARD) – Fear-free preparedness for nonprofits, faith agencies and vulnerable communities. Great business planning resources that can be used for any animal organizations as well.
- Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) – VOADs are useful networks of faith-based and nonprofit non-governmental organizations who work together to improve disaster preparedness and response. Look for a VOAD in your city, county, region, or state. Note that VOADs often operate independently and may not be affailiated with the National VOAD.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Animals in Public Evacuation Centers statement
- PETS Act summary and FAQ by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
