Pets and Floods

Pet Victims Suffer Displacement and Health Risks

In the wake of devastating floods, countless animals are displaced from their families and homes. As many as 30 percent of dogs, cats, birds and other exotic pets are left behind by their owners who believe — in the midst of panic —  that they can retrieve them later and that they’ll be safer if left in a home’s familiar setting.

Medical Concerns for Pet Flood Victims

While animals have strong survival instincts and have proven to live through natural disasters on their own, they can’t fend off some of the health dangers associated with floods:

• Dehydration and anorexia
• Lacerations or other physical wounds, abrasions or burns
• Sprains, strains or soft tissue injuries
• Insect bites and stings
• Snakebite
• Near drowning
• Hyperthermia (Abnormally high body temperature.)
• Hypothermia (Abnormally low body temperature.)
• Household chemicals, other chemicals or toxic medication ingestion
• Pneumonia
• Foreign body ingestion
• Infectious diseases
• Fractures
• Gastroenteritis (The inflammation of the stomach and intestine, often resulting in diarrhea, vomiting and cramps.)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages owners to plan ahead so that pets aren’t left behind. They now include an animal emergency plan in its information packages, to help make families aware of precautions before it’s too late.

Prepare Pets for Disaster

The 2008 Midwest floods served as a reminder to pet owners nationwide that a disaster can happen anytime and it’s best to have a plan of action for all family members.

“We have an emergency kit for our two dogs,” says John Turney of Laguna Beach, Calif. “We keep it accessible in the garage, just in case of an evacuation.” Turney and his family have been forced to flee their home on two separate occasions due to fire and mudslides.

“The kit has enough dog food to last one week, plus first-aid items such as bandages, gauze and hydrogen peroxide.” Turney, whose family — and pets — stayed in a community shelter during an evacuation, says it’s better to be safe than sorry. “We haven’t had to use the kit yet, but it’s better to be prepared just in case. This way, we can focus on keeping the family together and staying calm.”

Panicking is the most common mistake pet owners make during a disaster. In the midst of chaos, people put their lives, their pet’s lives and the lives of rescuers at stake trying to save their pets and household belongings. Disaster preparedness can help to eliminate any frantic effort to do too much at once.

Pet owners in need should be comforted by the overwhelming response of volunteer pet-relief efforts from across the nation. Displaced pets and their families are quickly being assisted by non-profit organizations providing pet essentials and some TLC.

Help Pet Victims of Midwest Flooding

Many states have implemented animal disaster plans following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Animal response teams have been formed to assist in pet safety operations such as search and rescue and relocation efforts. 

PetSmart Stores have sent much-needed product donations in response to pleas for help from animal shelters in Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin. The company’s non-profit Emergency Relief Waggin’ program was launched in March 2007 to aid animal victims of natural or man-made disasters.

In June 2008, PetSmart Charities announced they were increasing the supply of provisions for pet victims of the Midwest floods. Two semi-trailers from their Illinois distribution center were dispatched to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with a combined load of pet food and supplies, including 450 crates, 120 dog collars and leads, 510 food bowls, 288 litter pans and more than 8,000 pounds of cat litter.

Donations to the Emergency Relief Waggin’ program can be made one of two ways:

• Credit card donation via the PetSmart Charities Web site; or
• Mail in a check donation to: PetSmart Charities Attn: Emergency Relief 19601 North 27^th Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85027

Pets Lost During Iowa Flooding

The Human Society has been assisting with the animal rescue efforts in Iowa, rescuing and sheltering displaced pets. More than 500 pets currently wait in their emergency shelters to be reunited with their owners.

For more information on their rescue efforts, or to find one of your displaced places, please contact The Humane Society disaster center.

Before a disaster affects you and your family, read more about disaster preparedness, microchipping pets and finding lost pets.

Return to the VPI Pet HealthZone

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