Pets: Pre-Hurricane Actions
Make sure your pets are registered with the
Sarasota County Animal
Services (SCAS).
Sarasota County Animal Services
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Learn which emergency shelters allow pets and
know the rules.
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Have a pet kit.
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ID tag / Rabies tag on animal, leash.
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ID on all belongings.
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Water / food bowls.
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Carrier or Cage.
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Medication / Food for 14 days.
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Written feeding and medication
instructions
- Have proof of
current state required vaccinations for dogs and cats..
Have a safe place to take your pets
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Prepare a list of boarding facilities and veterinarians who
could shelter animals in an emergency; include 24 hour phone
numbers.
- Ask friends, relatives, or others outside the affected
area whether they could shelter your animals.
- Hotels: In advance, contact hotels and
motels outside your immediate area to check policies on
accepting pets and restrictions on number, size and species.
- Ask whether "no pet" policies could be waived in an
emergency.
- Keep a list of "pet friendly" places, including
phone numbers, with other disaster information.
- For an impending storm, call ahead for reservations.
- The Web site
PetsWelcome.com is one of the Webs that
maintains a list of hotels that accept pets.
www.PetsWelcome.com
- Sarasota County has designated pet
friendly shelters for dogs and cats.
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Service animals are always allowed in Red Cross
shelters.
- If you
have notice of impending disaster, call ahead for
reservations.
Service Dog Tips
Service dog owners need to make arrangements for their pets as
part of their household disaster plan. By law emergency shelters
are required to accept service animals.
Prior to an Emergency
- You need to gather and
compile information.
- Determine safe rooms in your
home.
- Purchase necessary first aid
and emergency supplies.
-
Service dog owners should call Emergency
Services to determine what they need to gain access to a
shelter.
-
Take several pictures of all the animals in
your household.
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Write on the back of the pictures any
distinguishing marks that help identify your pet.
-
Store the pictures and copies of all
vaccination records in a sealed plastic bag.
Pet
Rules for the Sarasota County Emergency Shelters
Pet Shelter Rules (Printable)
Pet Preparedness Brochure
Pet Friendly Shelters in Sarasota County
(updated during emergency activations)
Pet Friendly Shelter
Agreement Form
The
owner/guardian of a dog or cat who is taking shelter in a School
Board facility, must agree to the following and sign a pet
shelter agreement at the shelter:
- Report to the designated pet
registration location prior to the impact
of the storm.
- Maintain personal and pet
identification information on yourself, your animal and it’s
cage.
- Provide an appropriate animal
crate or cage for pets.
- Provide written proof
of current rabies and distemper vaccinations.
- Pets are not permitted to
enter “resident shelter areas”.
- There are designated
“shelter areas” for residents and designated “shelter
areas” for animals.
- Feed, water, sanitize and
exercise your pet on a scheduled frequency of no less that
twice daily until the arrival/departure of 45 m.p.h. winds.
- Properly and immediately
dispose of any waste created by your pets.
- Properly leash your pet when
it is outside of the cage.
- Do not permit other shelter
occupants to handle or approach your animal(s).
- Keep cage doors latched and
firmly secured.
- Animals demonstrating unruly
or aggressive behavior, showing signs of contagious disease
or are infected by parasites (fleas, ticks, lice, etc.) may
not be accepted.
- Know that failure to
follow these rules may result in the removal of the animal(s).
- Know that animals found in the
shelter, abandoned or without an owner/guardian present, are
relocated to Sarasota County Animal Services.
- Final disposition is left
to the discretion of Sarasota County Animal Services.
- Exotic animals are not
permitted in county public shelters.
- You are responsible for any
and all damages caused by your animal.
- You are liable in the event
that your pet injures any person or any other animal.
- During storm conditions
(winds more than 45 m.p.h.), you are not permitted to
shelter with or visit your pet.
Help Pets Cope
- Ensure your pets are
cared for during and after a disaster.
- Your pet may become frightened and not act normally,
use caution when handling the pet.
- Know which shelters accept pets and pre-identify
boarding kennels.
- Have current vaccination records available.
- Include leashes and pet carriers, food, water and any
medications in your pet
supply kit.
- Your pet should wear an ID tag on their collar.
- Tattoos or electronic identifications should also be
considered.
- Have a recent photo of your pet.
If you lose your pet
- Make a flyer including a photo.
- Describe as many distinctive marks the pet has, pet’s
name, your name, and a phone number where you can be
reached.
- Visit the animal shelters at least every other day.
- Tell your neighbors, postman, meter reader, garbage
collector, and neighborhood children about your lost pet.
- Check the newspaper under “Found Pets”.
Service Dog Tips
Prior to an Emergency
- You need to gather and compile information.
- Determine safe rooms in your home.
- Purchase necessary first aid and emergency supplies.
- Service dog owners should call Emergency Services to
determine what they need to gain access to a shelter.
- Take several pictures of all the animals in your
household.
- Write on the back of the pictures any distinguishing
marks that help identify your pet.
- Store the pictures and copies of all vaccination records
in a sealed plastic bag
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