Animal Control staff cares for pets in emergency storm shelters | News

After almost every hurricane or natural disaster, it turns out that despite having plenty of warning, many people did not heed advice, or even orders, to evacuate. Some may not trust government information, some may not be mobile enough to evacuate, and some may just be contrarians. A large number, though, don’t evacuate their homes because they don’t want to leave their nonhuman companions behind.
That’s one of the reasons Pasco County operated seven pet-friendly (as in cats and dogs, rabbits, small reptiles such as turtles) shelters during hurricanes Helene and Milton, the most ever. And though owners are ultimately responsible for their pets while they are in emergency shelters, not all have the supplies or wherewithal to keep them safe, fed, clean and calm while they are there. So a large part of that job fell to the staff of Pasco County Animal Services.
The department took care of the animals already in its Land O’ Lakes facility while deploying teams to shelters throughout the county. Thanks largely to the devastation wrought by Milton, which arrived after Helene, PCAS helped care for more than 1,400 animals during and after the storms, said Spencer Conover, assistant director of PCAS. The shelters opened Sept. 24 and the last of them closed the week of Nov. 17.
At the shelters, pets were kept in a different area than the ones where humans slept; owners could go into the pet areas, but not vice versa. Not all of the pets arrived with their own kennels, and PCAS stepped in to offer them other supplies such as water bowls and food bowls. In addition, the teams provided care for animals that were sick or, in one case, giving birth to a litter of puppies.
While PCAS did everything it could to make the animals comfortable in the shelters, “It’s always better for a pet to be in a home than in a shelter,” Conover said. For the future, “Definitely come up with a plan for your pets, because you never know what’s can happen.” If possible, he said, arrange for a pet to stay with a friend or relative in a safe zone. Pet owners should keep vaccinations up to date (shelters and most rental housing will demand proof) and have kennels or pet carriers on hand, along with a supply of food. For more tips, see www.pascocountyfl.net/services/emergency_management/pet_preparedness.php.
“We did provide care for a lot of animals,” Conover said. Post-Milton, they stuck around to provide vaccinations and other basic veterinary care as well.
“We did everything we could to help people,” he said. “We know how scary it is.” Sadly, PCAS also wound up rehoming some pets whose owners did not find housing or could not bring pets to their new housing. Conover said the agency also saw a slight increase in the number of strays post-storm.
“We’re really proud to be that resource for the community,” Conover said. “We are civic servants. We face challenges every day. I’m definitely proud of the way the team came together to serve the community.”
link