Draft On- line for
Nevada Animal Disaster Preparedness Guide

The draft was provided by the California Office of Emergency Services.
http://www.cdaf.ca.gov/programs/disasterprep.htm
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VI. Local Issues to Consider in Developing Your Plan

    1. Types of Disasters Likely in Your Area
      NEED TO UPDATE FOR NV

      2. You should do an inventory of the possible hazards in the OA and the specific areas most likely to be affected by each of these hazards. This may already have been done as a part of the OA Emergency Response Plan. Keep in mind the following possibilities:

      Earthquakes
      Floods
      Fires
      Landslides
      Volcanic Activity
      Railroad Accidents
      Oil/Chemical Spills
      Nuclear Accidents

    2. Animal Population in Your Area

Knowing the population of animals in your area will help in planning the scope and type of disaster response planning needed in your OA. There are several ways to estimate the animal population in your area.

1. Household Pet Estimate

For a rough estimate, you can calculate the number of pets in your area by using the following tables and information:

Table 1: Frequency of Pet Ownership in the United States

Species Percent of U.S. Households Owning Pets
All Pets 58.9
Dogs 31.6
Cats 27.3
Birds 4.6
Horses 1.5
Other Pets 10.7

Source: U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, Center for Information Management. American Veterinary Medical Association. Schaumburg, IL. 1997.

 

Table 2: Average Number of Animals per Household

Species Average Number of Pets per Pet-Owning Household
Dogs 1.69
Cats 2.19
Birds 2.74
Horses 2.67

Source: U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook, Center for Information Management. American Veterinary Medical Association. Schaumburg, IL. 1997.

The number of households in your county can be found by looking at the demographics information in the California Department of Finance web page, www.dof.ca.gov.
2. Production Animal Estimate
NEED NV ESTIAMTE
The number of production animals, such as dairy and beef cattle, poultry, pigs, and sheep by county, can be found by contacting your County Agricultural Commissioner, or in the California Agricultural Resource Directory published by CDFA.
 3. Survey Local Sources
 NEED NV INFORMATION
The following is a list of possible sources that could be surveyed to make an estimate of the number of animals in your county.
  • Dog and cat licenses
  • Veterinary records
  • Major producers (livestock, poultry)
  • Industry groups
  • Pet and feed store sales records
  • Restricted species licenses from the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG)
Location of Animal Populations in Your Area
It is important to identify where the majority of the animal population in your county is located. If your county is largely urban or suburban, this is probably the same area where most people live. If your county is largely rural, this is probably the location of large producers. Other sites such as kennels, racetracks, and zoos may also need special attention during a disaster. Because large animal transportation requires more equipment, effort, and time than small animal transport, special attention should be paid to these areas. Once you have located the highest concentrations of animals in your county, you should compare them to the areas most likely to be affected by specific disasters. If available, Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping techniques are particularly helpful in pinpointing potential trouble spots.
Location of Animal Resources in Your Area
It is important to pinpoint the location of resources needed for animal survival during a disaster. Resources include things such as: food, water, shelter and confinement areas, transportation, and volunteers. If any of the resources you identify are likely to be cut off during a disaster, consider an alternate resource base. Also, look at how disasters may affect access to these resources by volunteers and evacuees.
Liability Issues
When developing a county animal plan, there are various areas where liability issues may arise. You should consult with your county council and county OES office regarding exposure to risk and statutes that cover emergency activities, animal issues, and lost or abandoned property.
1. Releases (Check References to be provided for NV)
You may consider the use of release statements on some of the recommended documents in the Appendices of this Guide. A sample release developed by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is included in Appendix A.
2. Volunteer Workers
All volunteers involved in your county animal disaster response should be Registered Disaster Service Workers. For additional information on volunteer workers, see Section VII, Part B.6 of this guide. (CA)

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