Press Conference – Wednesday, May 12th
– 11:45 a.m.
The Nevada Humane Society, Susan Asher 775.331-5770
Committee Contact:
Dee Beaugez – 775- (FAX) phone
Animal Disaster Preparedness Day Nevada
Update
NV
Contacts
May 11, 1999 - If disaster were to strike today, would you have a plan to save your horses
and other animals? Please plan to attend a Nevada press conference at the Nevada Humane
Society Wednesday, May 12th, at 11:45 a.m. and meet some of the people (committee contacts) who are working to complete the State
Disaster Preparedness Plan.
Due to the increasing number of natural disasters across the United States, animal owners
are being advised by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and by State and
local government emergency management coordinators, to design emergency disaster plans
that include horses, pets and livestock. To help bring attention to animals and
preparedness, Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) http://www.uan.org
has launched the first annual Animal Disaster Preparedness Day on May 15, 1999.
Humanitarian Resources Institute is working to get the preparedness message out to
families and animals owners at http://www.humanitarian.net.
Nevada agencies and business have joined this nationwide event to remind people that
disasters pose a life-threatening danger for animals, too, and that the family cat, dog,
bird, horse, or any other animal being cared for, need to be included in family disaster
planning. The theme of Animal Disaster Preparedness Day is, "Don’t Leave Home
Without Them: Make Animals Part of Your Disaster Plan." - (Ref: Press Release
from Emergency Animal Rescue Service)
Nevada Agencies and Business Say:
Nevada Division of Emergency Management
|
"We have had several
emergencies/disasters in Nevada where animals have been either trapped or have been
evacuated from the disaster site and have had to try and find volunteers to evacuate the
animals and also find places to shelter these animals," said Bob Minter,
State Operations Officer for the Nevada Division of Emergency Management. |
|
"Because of these past events, our
Division has come to recognize the importance of a comprehensive animal disaster plan. We
are currently drafting a plan that will mobilize resources both paid and volunteer to
evacuate and shelter all of Nevada’s animals during emergencies and disaster,"
Minter said. |
Washoe County Animal Control
|
"It is important that
animal owners realize that in a disaster there may be few, if any, resources available to
assist them, " said Katie Stevens, Washoe County Animal Control.
"Individuals must be prepared to take care of their own animals." |
VET Coordinators
"It is important for pet owners to realize that in a disaster they must take
their pets with them, but pets are not allowed in regular shelters. We will devise a plan
so owners can take their pets to several safe locations where they will receive proper
care and medical attention. We want to help be part of the driving force that assists
owners be educated on how to be prepared for their pets in the case of a disaster,"
said Dr. Christine Feleciano D.V.M., Galena Veterinary Hospital.
|
Equine Disaster Preparedness
Coordinator
Dr. Joe Coli from the Comstock Large Animal Hospital has been working as equine veterinary
coordinator. |
|
Small Animal Disaster Preparedness
Coordinator
Dr. Christine Feleciana, DVM has been selected to coordinate the small animal disaster
preparedness portion of the plan. She will be working with Dr. Julie Soule, DVM. Both Dr.
Feleciano and Dr. Soule are from the Galena Veterinary Hospital.
|
Other Agencies and Businesses Participating:
Others helping Nevada become more animal disaster prepared include:
State of Nevada Office of Emergency Services, Washoe County Emergency Services, the Sierra
Nevada Chapter of the Red Cross, the Nevada Humane Society, State of Nevada Dept. of
Agriculture, Washoe Health Department, Reno Animal Control, Wild Horse Spirit, Virginia
Range Wildlife Protection Association, University of Nevada, Reno Seismology Dept., Sierra
Pacific Power.
Nevada Businesses
Nevada businesses who are helping to sponsor the disaster preparedness plan and
information include: American National Insurance (Al Dennis, Agent), Architect Eric Loyer,
Featherlite Trailers of Nevada, First American Title Company of Nevada Green’s Feed,
KOLO TV 8, PetFolio Magazine, REMSA, Sierra Feed, The Horse Review/ Visual Imagry, Inc.,
the Sparks Daily Tribune, The Ranch, and Washoe Metal Fabrication / Washoe Complete
Truck-N-4WD. A special thanks to Humanitarian Net for their help with this important project!
On-line Animal Disaster Preparedness Information for NV:
Nevada Animal Disaster Preparedness information can be found on-line at the following web
sites:
KOLO TV 8 Web Site – http://www.kolotv.com
The Horse Review – "The Horse Review has created an in-depth section on
animal disaster preparedness information," said Dee Beaugez, Webmaster/Publisher of The
Horse Review. "We are updating and posting information weekly. We are also
featuring a new section called ‘Disaster – Be Prepared for the First 72
Hours’."
The Horse Review Web Site – http://www.horsereview.com
PetFolio Magazine – "PetFolio Magazine and
northern Nevada unite in a common cause of pet safety," states animal magazine
publisher Landess Witmer. "Led by our school of local volunteers, we hope to spread
the word that planning ahead for pets can preserve our friends in a time of
disaster." PetFolio Magazine Web Site – http://www.petfoliomagazine.com
National On-line Animal Disaster Preparedness Information
end
Committee Contact: Dee Beaugez 775.
- FAX
e-mail: deebeaugez@visual-imagry.com
Background about
UAN and EARS
EARS Director Terri Crisp, who has helped rescue and care for animals in more than 45
major disasters, launched the national campaign. Crisp says many thousands of animals are
injured or killed during disasters every year simply because no one thought about their
welfare when planning for a disaster and there was no time to do so when disaster struck.
"We’ve seen too many animals left behind -- dogs tied in a
backyard during a hurricane or cats abandoned in a house with rising waters -- who’ve
become the unfortunate victims of disaster," said Crisp, who leads a nationwide team
of 2,400 EARS volunteers who have been trained to help rescue and care for animals during
disasters. "The companion animals we care for depend on their families for safety,
and we need to make sure they are out of harm’s way when disaster strikes. They
should not be left behind."
In recognition of Animal Disaster Preparedness Day, The Horse Review’s Disaster
Preparedness Division will be hosting a booth at the Safety Expo’99, May 22, 199 at
Park Lane Mall in Reno. The booth will have sample disaster preparedness safety kits on
display, information on how to sign up to volunteer in Nevada and animal disaster
preparedness information available.
"We will also have sign-up information about Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS)
and Terri Crisp’s March 2000 workshop in Reno, " said Beaugez.
In recognition of Animal Disaster Preparedness Day, EARS is distributing disaster
preparedness kits to animal caregivers. The kits include a general disaster preparedness
tip sheet as well as disaster "shopping lists" for cats, dogs, birds and horses
with specific information on the supplies and resources needed to care for these animals
during disasters. EARS volunteers also will be hosting tabling events to distribute
preparedness information in several cities including Sacramento and St. Louis. This
information can also be found on line at www.una.org or
through The Horse Review at http://www.horsereview.com
or PetFolio Magazine at http://www.petfoliomagazine.com.
EARS is a program of the Sacramento-based United Animal Nations. To
obtain an Animal Disaster Preparedness Day kit contact UAN at P.O. Box 188890, Sacramento,
CA 95818, Tel: (916) 429-2457, e-mail: info@uan.org or
visit our web site at www.uan.org/programs/ears/expand.cfm?ID=130
to download copies of our disaster tip sheet and disaster "shopping lists" for
cats, dogs, birds and horses.
end
|