PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release                                     
April 19, 2006                                                  

Have a plan for pets during the hurricane season

Unfortunately, most hurricane shelters throughout Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas do not accept pets, which makes finding adequate safety for pets a difficult challenge. Currently, Florida State Legislature has two bills under way that would allow for more free, pet-friendly shelters to be available during the 2006 hurricane season. Other coastal regions are also considering following suit to help ensure that pets will also make it through the next hurricane season.
     
If a hurricane is predicted in the area within the next few weeks or month, it is best to call ahead to hotels and arrange for a room that allows for pets. Despite what many pet owners think, there are actually quite a few popular hotel chains that accept pets. Some of the hotel chains that accept pets include Baymont Inns, LaQuinta, Red Roof Inns, and Days Inn. Many of these chains accept pets at almost all locations although some local hotels may have specific rules that apply to the size and breed of the animal.
     
If unable to find a hotel that accepts animals, it is best to try and make other arrangements before just leaving pets at home. These arrangements could include a boarding kennel away from the coast that will be staying open during the hurricane.
    
Another option could be leaving pets with a friend or family member who doesn’t plan to evacuate or who lives away from the coast. Consider making travel plans that include going through a specific town to drop off pets to a friend who can care for the dog until the storm has ended and residents are allowed back to their homes.
     
For exotic pet owners, finding a place for pets to ride out the storm may be a more difficult task. Most of the time these pets are not welcome in hotels and may not be easily cared for by a friend or family member away from the coast. The best option for exotic pet owners is to locate a pet store away from the coast that is willing to take on exotic pets. Certain boarding kennels may have accommodations in place for exotic pets like snakes, monkeys or exotic birds.
    
Leaving pets at home can mean never seeing them again. Even if the pets are boarded up in the home, they can easily get out through broken windows or other damaged areas of the home. As well, if for some reason the Emergency Management crew will not let residents back to their homes for several days or weeks, a pet cannot survive for too long without food and water.
    
If there are no other options but to leave pets during a hurricane, be sure to leave plenty of dry food and water. As well, if there are pets that do not normally get along or that do not usually interact, do not leave them together. This may require leaving pets in different parts of the house. The best bet is to leave your pets in a location away from windows that could break or other areas of the home that are likely to receive damage.
    
When evacuating with pets, it is important to remember to bring along items for the pet. These include carriers for the car and a hotel, as well as collars with updated ID tags and leashes. Pet owners may be away from home for several days so bring enough food that the pet will not go hungry. Other important pet items to bring include current immunization records, especially rabies records, current photographs and any medications the pet may need.
     
It is also important to bring along clean up supplies. Some pets may get car sick while others will just need to be cleaned up after at the rest stop or in their carriers. It will also be helpful in keeping animals calm to bring along play toys, chew bones, or treats.
    
If the plan includes leaving animals with a friend or at a boarding house, it is important that they have proper identification and any special food or medication as well. Most boarding kennels will be extremely hectic during a hurricane storm, so it is important that they have animal’s records straight before they are left. Once allowed back to the area where the boarding kennel is located, it is imperative to reclaim pets as soon as possible. These kennels will be overcrowded and picking up pets in a timely fashion will be appreciated.