WASHOE COUNTY REGIONAL ANIMAL SERVICES

WASHOE COUNTY REGIONAL ANIMAL SERVICES
ANIMAL EVACUATION
STATISTICS
EACH YEAR OVER
4,000 PEOPLE DIE IN
HOUSEFIRES ALONE
AND MORE THAN
25,000 ARE INJURED
IN FIRES. ANIMALS
ARE NOT RECORDED
UP TO 25% OF PET
OWNERS WILL FAIL
TO EVACUATE
BECAUSE OF THEIR
ANIMALS
30 – 50% OF PET
OWNERS WILL LEAVE
THEIR PETS BEHIND
EVEN WITH ADVANCE
NOTICE OF AN
EVACUATION
IN RESPONSE TO HURRICAN KATRINA, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT ACTED ON AND PASSED H.R. 3858, THE PET
ACT, ALSO KNOW AS “PETS EVACUATION AND
TRANSPORTATION STANDARDS” OF 2006. THIS ACT
ADVISED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT IT IS CRITICAL TO
HAVE HOUSEHOLD PETS ADDED TO DISASTER PLANS AND
THOSE AGENCIES MUST PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO PETS
AND THEIR OWNERS DURING TIMES OF DISASTERS.
IN 2007 THE NEVADA LEGISLATURE
ADDED LANGUAGE TO NRS 414
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
NRS 414.095 NOW STATES THAT LOCAL
ORGANIZATIONS FOR EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT MUST, WITHOUT
LIMITATIONS, ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF
PERSONS WITH PETS….DURING AND AFTER
AN EMERGENCY OR DISASTER
IN 2008, HOMELAND SECUIRTY
AND FEMA ADDED THE PETS ACT
INTO THE MASS EVACUATION
INCIDENT INDEX
PLANNING AND
ACCOMODATING
HOUSEHOLD PETS IS A
CRITICAL COMPONENT TO
MASS EVACUATION
ANIMAL SHELTERS MUST
BE SET UP IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY TO HUMAN
SHELTERS
INDIVIDUALS MAY CHOOSE
NOT TO EVACUATE IF
DIRECTED TO LEAVE THEIR
ANIMALS BEHIND
HOUSEHOLD PETS MUST
BE INCORPORATED INTO
EVACUATION PLANS
THE WASHOE COUNTY
EVACUATION, SHELTERING
AND MASS CARE PLANNING
PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY THE
BCC ON MARCH 25, 2008
AFTER CAREFUL STUDY AND
REVIEW BY MULTIPLE AGENCIES
IN WASHOE COUNTY, THE PLAN
WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2010
WHETHER IT IS A
LARGE SCALE
NATURAL
DISASTER LIKE
HURRICANE
KATRINA
OR AN
UNFORSEEN
EMERGENCY
SUCH AS A
HOUSE FIRE
EVERYONE CAN
BENEFIT FROM
HAVING AN
EVACUATION
PLAN IN PLACE
BEFORE
DISASTER
STRIKES
WCRAS HAS THE ABILITY TO SET UP A TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR:
ACCESS TO
50 TO 75
DOGS
50 CATS AND
SMALL
ANIMALS
MULTIPLE
FACILITIES THAT
CAN HOUSE
VARIOUS TYPES
OF LIVESTOCK
WE CAN ALSO
HOUSE ANIMALS
AT WCRAS AND
OTHER NEARBY
SHELTERS
IDENTIFICATION & PHOTOGRAPHS
HEALTH RECORDS & PAPERWORK
DISASTER KIT
TRANSPORTATION
BUDDY SYSTEM
IDENTIFICATION & PHOTOGRAPHS
DOGS AND CATS SHOULD ALWAYS WEAR PROPERLY FITTING
COLLARS, WITH AN ID, RABIES AND LICENSE TAG
WE RECOMMEND THAT ALL CATS AND DOGS HAVE A
MICROCHIP IMPLANTED FOR IDENTIFICATION AS COLLARS CAN
EASILY BE REMOVED OR FALL OFF
MAKE SURE ALL THE INFORMATION ON THE TAGS ARE
CURRENT AND YOUR PET IS REGISTERED WITH REGIONAL
ANIMAL SERVICES
KEEP A PHOTO OF EACH PET AND MAKE SURE ANY
DISTINGUISHING MARKINGS ARE VISIBLE
YOU WILL NEED PROOF OF OWNERSHIP TO RETRIEVE YOUR
PET FROM A SHELTER
HEALTH RECORDS & PAPERWORK
STORE IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS IN A ZIP-LOCK OR
WATERPROOF PLASTIC BAG
YOUR PETS AND LIVESTOCK NEED TO BE CURRENT ON ALL
VACCINATIONS
YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW PROOF OF
VACCINATIONS IF YOU NEED TO BOARD YOUR ANIMALS AT A
PRIVATE FACILITY
DISASTER KIT
MAINTAIN A DISASTER PREPAREDNESS SUPPLY KIT FOR EACH OF
YOUR ANIMALS THAT SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
FIRST AID KIT
VACCINATION RECORDS
VETERINARIAN’S INFORMATION
PET CARRIERS, CAGES
LEASHES/NON-NYLON, HALTERS AND LEADS OR ROPES
2 WEEKS SUPPLY OF FOOD/WATER
CAN OPENER
NON-SPILL FOOD/WATER BOWLS
CAT LITTER & BOX
NEWPAPER/PAPER TOWELS
PLASTIC BAGS
DUCT TAPE
PERMANENT MARKER
BLEACH
WATER BUCKET
TRANSPORTATION
• EACH ANIMAL SHOULD HAVE ITS OWN PET CARRIER, PORTABLE
CAGE, LEASH OR HALTER AND LEAD READILY AVAILABLE
• FOR LIVESTOCK, KEEP TRAILERS AND VANS WELL MAINTAINED,
FULL OF GAS AND READY TO MOVE AT ALL TIMES
• IF YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR OWN VEHICLES, MAKE ARRANGEMENTS
WITH LOCAL COMPANIES OR NEIGHBORS BEFORE DISASTER STRIKES
BUDDY SYSTEM
 IN CASE YOU ARE NOT HOME WHEN A DISASTER STRIKES,
ASK A TRUSTED NEIGHBOR TO CHECK ON YOUR ANIMALS
 EXCHANGE VETERINARY INFORMATION AND FILE A
PERMISSION SLIP WITH YOUR VETERINARIAN AUTHORIZING
THEM TO GET EMERGENCY TREATMENT FOR YOUR PET IF YOU
CANNOT BE LOCATED