Storm readiness should begin long before the event occurs. The Mississippi State Department of Health along with the Mississippi Board of Animal Health urge residents who own pets and livestock to have disaster plans in place for their animals before the event occurs.
If you evacuate, take your pets. Leave early. Don't wait for a mandatory evacuation order. An unnecessary trip is far better than waiting too long to leave safely with your pets.
Pets and small animals
- Tags: Ensure that your pets are wearing up-to-date identification tags at all times.
- Shelters: Know what shelters allow pets. Not all shelters are "pet friendly." Make sure you and your pets will have somewhere safe to stay.
- Hotels: Contact hotels and motels outside your immediate area to check policies on accepting pets. Ask if a no-pet policy is waived during a disaster.
- Carriers: Have a properly sized carrier for each animal. Carriers should be large enough for the animal to stand and turn around.
- Boarding: Make a list of boarding facilities and veterinary offices outside of the evacuation area that might be able to shelter animals in emergencies. Include 24-hour telephone numbers.
- Records: Save information about tests, veterinary papers, identification photos, medical history, allergies and emergency phone numbers in a water resistant envelope.
Large animals and livestock
- Water: Install a hand pump and obtain enough large containers to water your animals for at least a week.
- Safety: Secure or remove anything that could become flying debris: make a habit of securing propane tanks, trailers and other large objects.
- Identification: If you must leave your animals, prepare halters for horses that include your name and phone numbers or spray-paint your phone numbers on the animals.
- Boarding: Know where you can take horses or livestock during an evacuation. Agricultural centers that can board large animals are available in most counties. The MBAH Web site has a link to a map of all agri-centers in the state.
- Trailers: Make arrangements in advance to have your horse contained in an approved trailer in case of an emergency or evacuation. If you do not have enough trailers for your animals, have several people on alert to help secure more trailers.
- Records: Save information about tests, veterinary papers, identification photos, medical history, allergies and emergency phone numbers in a water resistant envelope.
Farms
If you own a farm, make a farm disaster supply kit so you will have supplies on hand in the event of a disaster. Place the kit in a central location that everyone knows. Check the contents regularly to ensure fresh and complete supplies. This kit should contain:
- Basic first aid kit
- Suppliers for temporary identification of all animals such as plastic neckbands and markers
- Tools and supplies needed for sanitation
- Stored feed, water and buckets
- Current list of all animals, including their location and records of vaccinations and feedings
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