By: Gordon Williams, American Red Cross Volunteer

Humans aren’t the only creatures that suffer in disasters. Animals, from the smallest to the very largest, can be scorched by flames, drowned by rising flood waters, and sickened or killed by toxic wildfire smoke. 

One tragic aspect of Hurricane Katrina was that 50,000 pets died in the storm and hundreds of people died because they wouldn't leave their pets behind. 

Alerted by the Katrina experience, the American Red Cross launched an effort to improve the way it incorporates pet care into disaster response. The term ‘pet’ in this case, applies to household animals and does not apply to service animals at shelters. Working service animals are always allowed in all parts of Red Cross shelters.

In the latest pet-centric move, the Red Cross Northwest Region has named a team of Pet Liaison volunteers who are the “foot soldiers” of the Pet Champion Program. They work within the Red Cross and with emergency management and animal welfare agencies to make sure policies for pet care in disasters are being carried out.

When disasters reach level four on the Red Cross scale (very big, very bad events), the liaisons deploy to shelters to supervise pet care. “They're the boots-on-the-ground people making sure that pets are being well cared for,” says Deborah Dunn, Red Cross Pet Liaison Lead for the Northwest Region. “They make sure there is enough food and enough cat litter for animals housed in and near shelters, and that pets are not disturbing other shelter residents.”  

Dunn, who came to the Red Cross just over a year ago, was a high school history teacher with no disaster response background. Seeing how animals suffered in wildfires near her Central Washington home made her a pet advocate. There are now seven Pet Liaisons in the Northwest Region, one in each local area.

One role the pet liaisons will play is that of educators — teaching pet owners the rules for keeping their animals safe from fire, flood and storm. The basic rule is to prepare your pets for disaster as you now prepare your family for disaster. Dunn recalls watching the chaotic efforts to safeguard horses in a fire that burned near her home. “There was no order to it,” she says. 

You create order by including your pets when planning for disaster. Know ahead of time where you would go for shelter if you had to evacuate. The Red Cross and your local disaster management agency can help you with that. Assume you need a crate or carrier to move the pet and to house it in or near the shelter. 

Dunn says the Red Cross tries to have crates available at its shelters. Because demand may outpace supply, a safer bet is to bring your own if you’re able.

Dunn warns that pets may need special training to enter and stay calm in a crate. “Run drills with your pets,” Dunn says. She suggests sharing a code word that directs the animal to the crate. “Each time the animal goes into a crate, give them a high-value treat,” she says. That’s what she does with her own pet cats. “When I say the word, they run for safety in the crate.” 

And while the shelter may have food, you can help your animal feel comfortable by bringing its favorite food and treats. Keep an extra bag and food and a supply of treats on hand just in case.  

As you prepare a go-bag filled with the essentials the family will need if evacuated, have a go-bag for your pets. Fill it with the animal's favorite treats and toys and keep it where it can be grabbed in a hurry. If the pet has a favorite bed, try and grab it before you evacuate. If the pet is cold-blooded — a snake or lizard — take a heating lamp. 

Make sure you have extra supplies of any medications the pet needs.  Keep all vaccinations up to date and keep a copy of the vaccination record. Most shelters won't take an animal that doesn’t have up-to-date vaccination records.

Pets can get lost in a disaster. Have photos of your pet and consider having the animal microchipped. Have a leash and collar readily accessible. You will need the leash to control a frightened animal. 

While Red Cross workers will prepare the shelter for pets, don't expect them to do the routine chores of pet ownership — feeding, grooming, walking, picking up waste or changing litter boxes. Those are your chores. On the other hand, caring for your pet can make the time spent in a shelter pass more quickly. 

Learn more about how to prepare your pets for any emergency. Visit: redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/pet-disaster-preparedness.html