Animals left behind can be injured, fall ill, starve and hamper human evacuation and rescue efforts
(February 22, 2011) – As residents of the Fargo-Moorhead area prepare for likely spring flooding, United Animal Nations (UAN) encourages residents to include their pets in their personal flood planning. Animals left behind during floods can get injured, fall ill, starve, die, and hamper human evacuation and rescue efforts.
  Twenty UAN volunteers traveled to Fargo, North Dakota in March 2009 to care for 150 pets displaced when the Red River flooded.  |
Families that may have to evacuate due to flooding are encouraged to:
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Identify a place where you can evacuate with your pets. Never leave your pets behind to fend for themselves. Many hotels and motels are pet-friendly, and those that aren’t often make exceptions during natural disasters. A searchable database of pet-friendly accommodations is available at
www.petswelcome.com or
www.petfriendlyhotelsandtravel.comIf you are planning to stay with friends or family, confirm beforehand that your pets will be welcome or find a professional kennel safely out of the flood’s reach where you can board them.
- Assemble an animal disaster kit that includes food, water, medications, a leash or cat carrier for each pet, and photos of each animal with family members to prove ownership if they are lost.
- Get permanent microchip identification and an ID tag for each pet in your care so they can be more easily reunited with you if you are separated. Microchips are available at animal shelters and veterinary clinics.
“We commend the leaders and residents of the Fargo-Moorhead area for their proactive flood planning efforts,” said UAN president Nicole Forsyth. “We hope everyone gets the message that including pets in flood planning is vital for both human and animal safety.”
Through its volunteer-driven Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS), UAN provides free temporary sheltering for communities that become overwhelmed by natural disasters. In March 2009, 20 of UAN’s EARS volunteers provided emergency sheltering for about 150 animals displaced by the
Get more detailed pet disaster preparedness tips at uan.org.
MEDIA CONTACT: Alexis Raymond, (916) 429-2457 or araymond@uan.org
Founded in 1987, United Animal Nations focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and into care through a variety of programs, including emergency animal sheltering and disaster relief services, financial assistance for urgent veterinary care and humane education.
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