/PRNewswire/ -- A firefighter and his Search Dog located three girls trapped alive since Tuesday in the rubble of Haiti's devastating earthquake. Bill Monahan and his Border Collie, Hunter, were searching a neighborhood near the Presidential Palace, concentrating on a large bowl-shaped area of rubble which was all that remained of a 4-story building.
After criss-crossing the area, Hunter pin-pointed the survivors' scent under 4 feet of broken concrete and did a sustained "bark alert" to let Bill know where the victims were. Bill spoke with the survivors, then passed them bottles of water tied to the end of a stick. As they reached for the water one of the girls said, "Thank you." Highly trained rescue crews from California Task Force 2 pulled the girls from the wreckage and provided first aid.
Bill and Hunter were trained by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation -- the only non-profit in the nation that recruits rescued dogs, partners them with firefighters, and trains them to find survivors buried in the aftermath of disasters. The teams and their ongoing training are provided at no cost to Fire Departments throughout the country.
In his report this morning from Haiti, SDF Handler Bill Monahan stated, "It would have been a reward to find one person alive. Finding multiple survivors is a huge victory for everyone on the Task Force. It's a giant team effort. From the canines, to the logistics team, to communications, everyone is working at full capacity, using everything we've been trained to do to find survivors. It's an honor to be here."
At Search Dog Foundation headquarters in Ojai, CA, SDF Founder Wilma Melville received the news with quiet gratitude. "This moment is what SDF Search Teams train for -- week in and week out -- throughout their careers together. When one SDF team succeeds, ALL of our teams succeed. Our thoughts are with our teams in Haiti, who continue to comb the rubble into the night. Their perseverance, skill, and strength in the face of extreme challenges make us all proud, and give us hope."
Added SDF Executive Director Debra Tosch: "All our handlers are experts in reading their canines, pacing them throughout their shift to ensure the dogs are kept safe, healthy, happy and motivated. The canines are literally the Task Force's most precious tool in the hunt for survivors: their well-being is mission-critical."
Bill and Hunter continue to search, as do all seven SDF Search Teams on the ground in Haiti with California Task Force 2 and Florida Task Force 1. Follow their progress at www.SearchDogFoundation.org, twitter.com/searchrescuedog, facebook.com/NationalDisasterSearchDogFoundation.
About the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF)
SDF is a non-profit organization whose mission is to strengthen America's emergency response network by producing the most highly-trained canine-firefighter disaster search teams in the nation. SDF recruits rescued dogs and partners them with firefighters, providing the canines and the training at no cost to their departments. The organization receives no government funding and relies solely on support from individuals, private foundations and companies to produce these highly-skilled teams.
Since its founding in 1996, SDF has rescued hundreds of dogs, many on the brink of euthanasia. They have trained 105 Search Teams, 72 of which are currently active. SDF Teams have been deployed to 66 disasters including the World Trade Center attacks and Hurricane Katrina and state and local emergencies such as earthquakes, mudslides, building collapses, train derailments and missing person searches. Eight of SDF's teams are members of CA-TF2 and are ready at all times for immediate deployment overseas when called upon by the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.
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Showing posts with label disaster. Show all posts
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Sunday, January 17, 2010
Dallas-Based Philanthropist Teams Up with The Humane Society of the United States to Save Haitian Animals
/PRNewswire/ -- Vice Chairman and CEO of ATI Career Training, Arthur Benjamin, announced on Friday a $50,000 challenge grant through his animal rescue organization that will help bolster and bring awareness to the donations needed to aid domesticated animals affected by the Haitian disaster.
American Dog Rescue, a Dallas-based non-profit group, is supporting The Humane Society of the United States, by matching donor contributions dollar-for-dollar for up to half of the $100,000 initial goal.
"The devastation is so great as is the need that the animals - as in Katrina - are being lost to the greater needs," said Benjamin, who hopes to achieve $1 million in support.
"Someone needed to step forward, to 'prime the pump,' to help these animals and the people who love them -- the Haitian people," he said.
All funds raised will be made available to Humane Society International, the international arm of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which is currently in contact with veterinarians on the ground in Port-au-Prince to begin the process of assessment. A lead veterinarian with disaster certification has been dispatched to the Dominican Republic and will join a humanitarian convoy as soon as it is cleared to enter Haiti.
"We are grateful to American Dog Rescue for devoting funds to the crisis in Haiti," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "Whenever people are in this kind of distress, you can be sure that animals are suffering, too. We hope to be able to put boots on the ground to help the people and animals in their greatest time of need."
Any donations submitted to ADR, or its website, www.americandogrescue.org by clicking on the "Help The Animals of Haiti" button, can participate in the match.
"HSUS is a national and international established relief organization with the knowledge and know-how to deploy the funds raised to the greatest benefit of the animals as soon as logistics make this possible," said Benjamin. "They are working with partner groups in Haiti and the Dominican Republic in an effort assess the situation to determine the best way to begin saving lives and averting pain and suffering by our four-legged friends there."
Benjamin's efforts to build additional support for the Haitian animals is evidenced in his professional networking as a senior executive North Richland Hills-based ATI Career Training, a 24-campus, 16,000 student education company. Benjamin has reached out to other senior executives in the adult education and training community to campaign for additional aid.
"I wake up each morning excited in supporting two personal initiatives- adults seeking to improve their lives through education; and homeless animals that deserve a second chance at life," said Benjamin, who spends his time between Dallas, Boca Raton, and Salt Lake City operating a series of businesses and philanthropic efforts.
American Dog Rescue (www.americandogrescue.org) is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501(c)3 organization committed to finding a home for every adoptable dog in the United States. In instances of international tragedy, its support transcends national borders. American Dog Rescue is committed to placing healthy dogs in permanent homes that are the right fit for the animal and its family. Donations can be made by visiting www.americandogrescue.org/donate or calling 801-944-3023.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization -- backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the web at www.humanesociety.org .
ATI Schools and Colleges (www.aticareertraining.edu) is a multi-campus institution offering specialized training in a variety of skilled career programs within such areas as automotive repair, business, electronics, English as a Second Language, fitness, health and wellness, HVAC/refrigeration, information technology and welding. ATI offers more than three decades of training experience and commitment to individuals aspiring to better their lives through career education.
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American Dog Rescue, a Dallas-based non-profit group, is supporting The Humane Society of the United States, by matching donor contributions dollar-for-dollar for up to half of the $100,000 initial goal.
"The devastation is so great as is the need that the animals - as in Katrina - are being lost to the greater needs," said Benjamin, who hopes to achieve $1 million in support.
"Someone needed to step forward, to 'prime the pump,' to help these animals and the people who love them -- the Haitian people," he said.
All funds raised will be made available to Humane Society International, the international arm of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which is currently in contact with veterinarians on the ground in Port-au-Prince to begin the process of assessment. A lead veterinarian with disaster certification has been dispatched to the Dominican Republic and will join a humanitarian convoy as soon as it is cleared to enter Haiti.
"We are grateful to American Dog Rescue for devoting funds to the crisis in Haiti," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "Whenever people are in this kind of distress, you can be sure that animals are suffering, too. We hope to be able to put boots on the ground to help the people and animals in their greatest time of need."
Any donations submitted to ADR, or its website, www.americandogrescue.org by clicking on the "Help The Animals of Haiti" button, can participate in the match.
"HSUS is a national and international established relief organization with the knowledge and know-how to deploy the funds raised to the greatest benefit of the animals as soon as logistics make this possible," said Benjamin. "They are working with partner groups in Haiti and the Dominican Republic in an effort assess the situation to determine the best way to begin saving lives and averting pain and suffering by our four-legged friends there."
Benjamin's efforts to build additional support for the Haitian animals is evidenced in his professional networking as a senior executive North Richland Hills-based ATI Career Training, a 24-campus, 16,000 student education company. Benjamin has reached out to other senior executives in the adult education and training community to campaign for additional aid.
"I wake up each morning excited in supporting two personal initiatives- adults seeking to improve their lives through education; and homeless animals that deserve a second chance at life," said Benjamin, who spends his time between Dallas, Boca Raton, and Salt Lake City operating a series of businesses and philanthropic efforts.
American Dog Rescue (www.americandogrescue.org) is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501(c)3 organization committed to finding a home for every adoptable dog in the United States. In instances of international tragedy, its support transcends national borders. American Dog Rescue is committed to placing healthy dogs in permanent homes that are the right fit for the animal and its family. Donations can be made by visiting www.americandogrescue.org/donate or calling 801-944-3023.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization -- backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the web at www.humanesociety.org .
ATI Schools and Colleges (www.aticareertraining.edu) is a multi-campus institution offering specialized training in a variety of skilled career programs within such areas as automotive repair, business, electronics, English as a Second Language, fitness, health and wellness, HVAC/refrigeration, information technology and welding. ATI offers more than three decades of training experience and commitment to individuals aspiring to better their lives through career education.
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Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Don’t forget your pets in a disaster
AAA Note: Now that the hurricane season is gearing up, remember to plan ahead for your safety and for your pet's safety.
(ARA) - When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Richard Colar’s neighborhood was flooded with 13 feet of water. He lost his home and lived in a FEMA trailer for over three years following the storm. Even more devastating for Colar was that he was forced to flee without his beloved pet, a Siberian husky named Princess.
Miraculously, veterinarians located his lost dog weeks after the storm. The dog had been evacuated to Delaware. Due to the work of many volunteers, Colar and his family were among the lucky Katrina survivors who had their pets returned to them.
“It was so important to me to get my dog back, and I was so thankful,” he says. “Veterinarians saved my dog. I never knew that there were so many animal lovers in the world.”
Colar’s story illustrates why it’s so important for people to be prepared for natural disasters. This means planning an evacuation, not just for you and your family, but also your pets, livestock and horses.
The American Veterinary Medical Association offers a brochure on the subject, Saving the Whole Family, as well as an informative video with helpful instructions to help people evacuate with their pets in a disaster.
“During disasters it’s not unusual for hundreds of thousands of pets and livestock to be displaced. Many times this is the result of the fact that the owners have not made a thorough evacuation plan,” explains Dr. Heather Case, head of disaster preparation at the AVMA. “That’s why we urge everybody to make disaster plans today that include every member of the family, including those with four legs or wings, fur, scales or feathers.”
Case explains that in order to evacuate with an animal, pet and livestock owners need to have something in which to carry the animal. With pets, this would be a pet carrier that is large enough for the animal to spend a few days in comfortably. Even if you relocated to an emergency shelter that is willing to accept a pet, the animal will have to spend most of its time in that carrier or cage. For cats, the cage will have to be big enough for a small litter box.
If you are a livestock or horse owner, you’ll need access to a livestock carrier that can be towed by truck. Many times, farms will form cooperative evacuation networks as a cost effective way of ensuring that everybody’s animals are evacuated.
The AVMA also recommends that pet and livestock owners put together emergency kits. These kits should include enough food to last a week, any medications the animal requires, written prescriptions and other documentation, a photograph and identification information for the animal and, most importantly, a telephone list of feed suppliers, family members and veterinarians in the area where you expect to end up.
Proper identification is another important consideration. Consider preparing disaster tags for your pet’s collar. These should include your cell phone number, but also the telephone number for an out-of-town family member or friend, and perhaps the name of a hotel where you expect to evacuate. With this information, rescue responders will have a better chance of locating you if they rescue your pet.
The best kind of identification is imbedded microchip identification. Even if you put an informative tag on your pets collar or your horse’s halter, if it becomes separated from your animal the results can be disastrous. Microchips are embedded under the skin of an animal between the shoulder blades or on the neck and can be read with a scanner, ensuring the animal is never without ID.
For more information on this and other issues, visit www.avma.org or www.avmatv.org for a disaster preparation video.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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(ARA) - When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Richard Colar’s neighborhood was flooded with 13 feet of water. He lost his home and lived in a FEMA trailer for over three years following the storm. Even more devastating for Colar was that he was forced to flee without his beloved pet, a Siberian husky named Princess.
Miraculously, veterinarians located his lost dog weeks after the storm. The dog had been evacuated to Delaware. Due to the work of many volunteers, Colar and his family were among the lucky Katrina survivors who had their pets returned to them.
“It was so important to me to get my dog back, and I was so thankful,” he says. “Veterinarians saved my dog. I never knew that there were so many animal lovers in the world.”
Colar’s story illustrates why it’s so important for people to be prepared for natural disasters. This means planning an evacuation, not just for you and your family, but also your pets, livestock and horses.
The American Veterinary Medical Association offers a brochure on the subject, Saving the Whole Family, as well as an informative video with helpful instructions to help people evacuate with their pets in a disaster.
“During disasters it’s not unusual for hundreds of thousands of pets and livestock to be displaced. Many times this is the result of the fact that the owners have not made a thorough evacuation plan,” explains Dr. Heather Case, head of disaster preparation at the AVMA. “That’s why we urge everybody to make disaster plans today that include every member of the family, including those with four legs or wings, fur, scales or feathers.”
Case explains that in order to evacuate with an animal, pet and livestock owners need to have something in which to carry the animal. With pets, this would be a pet carrier that is large enough for the animal to spend a few days in comfortably. Even if you relocated to an emergency shelter that is willing to accept a pet, the animal will have to spend most of its time in that carrier or cage. For cats, the cage will have to be big enough for a small litter box.
If you are a livestock or horse owner, you’ll need access to a livestock carrier that can be towed by truck. Many times, farms will form cooperative evacuation networks as a cost effective way of ensuring that everybody’s animals are evacuated.
The AVMA also recommends that pet and livestock owners put together emergency kits. These kits should include enough food to last a week, any medications the animal requires, written prescriptions and other documentation, a photograph and identification information for the animal and, most importantly, a telephone list of feed suppliers, family members and veterinarians in the area where you expect to end up.
Proper identification is another important consideration. Consider preparing disaster tags for your pet’s collar. These should include your cell phone number, but also the telephone number for an out-of-town family member or friend, and perhaps the name of a hotel where you expect to evacuate. With this information, rescue responders will have a better chance of locating you if they rescue your pet.
The best kind of identification is imbedded microchip identification. Even if you put an informative tag on your pets collar or your horse’s halter, if it becomes separated from your animal the results can be disastrous. Microchips are embedded under the skin of an animal between the shoulder blades or on the neck and can be read with a scanner, ensuring the animal is never without ID.
For more information on this and other issues, visit www.avma.org or www.avmatv.org for a disaster preparation video.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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Thursday, September 4, 2008
Plan for Your Pets in Case of Emergency
AAG Note: With all the hurricane threats upon us, please remember to plan for your pets in case you have to evacuate. Here are some tips from the Humane Society of the United States.
The HSUS urges residents to check their local Web sites such as the Florida State Agricultural Response team, flsart.org, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, gema.state.ga.us, North Carolina State Animal Response Team, ncsart.org and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, scemd.org for updated information. Availability at shelters can be limited and residents are strongly urged to be self sufficient in caring for their families, including their animals.
The failure to plan for your pets' safety can lead to tragedy. Luckily, many lessons were learned after Hurricane Katrina where residents were forced to abandon dogs, cats and other animals by the tens of thousands. Early planning and coordinated evacuation plans avoided a repeat of Katrina during Hurricane Gustav. You can take simple steps to ensure that your pets will not be left in a dangerous situation.
A pet disaster kit should include:
· A three-day supply of food and drinking water, as well as bowls, cat litter and a container to be used as a litter box.
· Current photos and descriptions of pets.
· Up-to-date identification, including an additional tag with the phone number of someone out of the area in the event the pet becomes lost.
· Medications, medical records and a first aid kit stored in a waterproof container.
· Sturdy leashes, harnesses and carriers to transport pets safely as well as blankets or towels for bedding and warmth. Carriers should be large enough to comfortably house your pet for several hours or even days.
Evacuation planning for large animals should include:
· Evacuate animals as soon as possible. Be ready to leave once the evacuation is ordered. In a slowly evolving disaster, such as a hurricane, leave no later than 72 hours before anticipated landfall, especially if you will be hauling a high profile trailer such as a horse trailer. Remember: Even a fire truck fully loaded with water is considered "out of service" in winds exceeding 40 mph. If there are already high winds, it may not be possible to evacuate safely.
· Arrange for a place to shelter your animals. Plan ahead and work within your community to establish safe shelters for farm animals.
· Contact your local emergency management authority and become familiar with at least two possible evacuation routes well in advance.
· Set up safe transportation. Trucks, trailers, and other vehicles suitable for transporting large animals (appropriate for transporting each specific type of animal) should be available, along with experienced handlers and drivers.
· Take all your disaster supplies with you or make sure they will be available at your evacuation site. You should have or be able to readily obtain feed, water, veterinary supplies, handling equipment, tools and generators if necessary.
· If your animals are sheltered off your property, make sure they remain in the groupings they are used to. Also, be sure they are securely contained and sheltered from the elements if necessary, whether in cages, fenced-in areas, or buildings.
· Place horses' Coggins tests, veterinary papers, identification photographs, and vital information—such as medical history, allergies, and emergency telephone numbers (veterinarian, family members, etc.)—in a watertight envelope. Store the envelope with your other important papers in a safe place that can be quickly reached.
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The HSUS urges residents to check their local Web sites such as the Florida State Agricultural Response team, flsart.org, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, gema.state.ga.us, North Carolina State Animal Response Team, ncsart.org and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, scemd.org for updated information. Availability at shelters can be limited and residents are strongly urged to be self sufficient in caring for their families, including their animals.
The failure to plan for your pets' safety can lead to tragedy. Luckily, many lessons were learned after Hurricane Katrina where residents were forced to abandon dogs, cats and other animals by the tens of thousands. Early planning and coordinated evacuation plans avoided a repeat of Katrina during Hurricane Gustav. You can take simple steps to ensure that your pets will not be left in a dangerous situation.
A pet disaster kit should include:
· A three-day supply of food and drinking water, as well as bowls, cat litter and a container to be used as a litter box.
· Current photos and descriptions of pets.
· Up-to-date identification, including an additional tag with the phone number of someone out of the area in the event the pet becomes lost.
· Medications, medical records and a first aid kit stored in a waterproof container.
· Sturdy leashes, harnesses and carriers to transport pets safely as well as blankets or towels for bedding and warmth. Carriers should be large enough to comfortably house your pet for several hours or even days.
Evacuation planning for large animals should include:
· Evacuate animals as soon as possible. Be ready to leave once the evacuation is ordered. In a slowly evolving disaster, such as a hurricane, leave no later than 72 hours before anticipated landfall, especially if you will be hauling a high profile trailer such as a horse trailer. Remember: Even a fire truck fully loaded with water is considered "out of service" in winds exceeding 40 mph. If there are already high winds, it may not be possible to evacuate safely.
· Arrange for a place to shelter your animals. Plan ahead and work within your community to establish safe shelters for farm animals.
· Contact your local emergency management authority and become familiar with at least two possible evacuation routes well in advance.
· Set up safe transportation. Trucks, trailers, and other vehicles suitable for transporting large animals (appropriate for transporting each specific type of animal) should be available, along with experienced handlers and drivers.
· Take all your disaster supplies with you or make sure they will be available at your evacuation site. You should have or be able to readily obtain feed, water, veterinary supplies, handling equipment, tools and generators if necessary.
· If your animals are sheltered off your property, make sure they remain in the groupings they are used to. Also, be sure they are securely contained and sheltered from the elements if necessary, whether in cages, fenced-in areas, or buildings.
· Place horses' Coggins tests, veterinary papers, identification photographs, and vital information—such as medical history, allergies, and emergency telephone numbers (veterinarian, family members, etc.)—in a watertight envelope. Store the envelope with your other important papers in a safe place that can be quickly reached.
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Saturday, May 31, 2008
UGA Workshop Helps Counties Handle Animals During Disasters
After Hurricane Katrina, Don Hamilton and other University of Georgia employees took care of 3,000 abandoned animals for 10 days at a shelter in Mississippi. The experience sparked them to develop a workshop to help keep Georgia animals and citizens safer during disasters.
They’re now taking the “Handling Animals during Disasters” planning workshop to counties around Georgia.
“If you don’t have a place to shelter animals in disaster, people aren’t going to evacuate,” said Hamilton, homeland security coordinator for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Georgia requires that each of its 159 counties have a local emergency operations plan. This plan contains a section on agriculture and natural resources, which includes handling companion animals. This is also required through the national Pet Evacuation Transportation Standards Act.
“After evacuation and disaster, there’s a tremendous problem with abandoned animals – dogs, cats, birds and livestock,” said Jeff Doles, director of Peach County’s Emergency Management Agency. “Before you can re-inhabit an area or allow citizens to return, you have to control the animal population. Now the encouragement is to take your animals with you so they don’t have to take care of themselves.”
Through the workshop, UGA experts helped Peach County research and develop its plan and guided various county players through mock disaster situations.
“They did a lot of groundwork where the rubber hits the road,” Doles said. “I can’t tell you how much help they were to us. We’re a small county. It would be virtually impossible for us to accomplish a plan of the magnitude we’ve got using our local resources.”
In February, Dole, UGA Cooperative Extension coordinator Frank Funderburk and others from the Fort Valley area tested their on-paper plan for handling animals in a disaster situation.
The two mock disasters “taught us to adapt,” said Doles, who is also the county’s fire chief. “We had some problems that we identified in our exercises, but we had a lot of strengths. I think it’s some of best training done in a while.”
The Georgia Department of Agriculture was a key player in the effort. UGA’s Fanning Institute helped facilitate it.
The county’s board of commissioners has since added the animal plan to the local emergency plan, which the city and county use to respond to and recover from any manmade or natural disaster.
As part of the plan, Doles is the first person county officials will call if there is a disaster. The third person on that list is Funderburk, who keeps a copy of the plan close by, ready to grab in case a tornado hits a veterinarian’s office or a hurricane sends evacuees up I-75, pets in hand, looking for shelter.
“I hope we don’t ever have to use it, but at least we’ve got a plan,” he said.
Hamilton is now helping emergency management officials in Brooks and Houston counties develop their own plans. These counties were chosen because of their proximity to Georgia’s interstates, their willingness to participate and their local resources.
The workshops are funded by a Department of Homeland Security grant through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency on behalf of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia.
By Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia
Stephanie Schupska is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
They’re now taking the “Handling Animals during Disasters” planning workshop to counties around Georgia.
“If you don’t have a place to shelter animals in disaster, people aren’t going to evacuate,” said Hamilton, homeland security coordinator for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Georgia requires that each of its 159 counties have a local emergency operations plan. This plan contains a section on agriculture and natural resources, which includes handling companion animals. This is also required through the national Pet Evacuation Transportation Standards Act.
“After evacuation and disaster, there’s a tremendous problem with abandoned animals – dogs, cats, birds and livestock,” said Jeff Doles, director of Peach County’s Emergency Management Agency. “Before you can re-inhabit an area or allow citizens to return, you have to control the animal population. Now the encouragement is to take your animals with you so they don’t have to take care of themselves.”
Through the workshop, UGA experts helped Peach County research and develop its plan and guided various county players through mock disaster situations.
“They did a lot of groundwork where the rubber hits the road,” Doles said. “I can’t tell you how much help they were to us. We’re a small county. It would be virtually impossible for us to accomplish a plan of the magnitude we’ve got using our local resources.”
In February, Dole, UGA Cooperative Extension coordinator Frank Funderburk and others from the Fort Valley area tested their on-paper plan for handling animals in a disaster situation.
The two mock disasters “taught us to adapt,” said Doles, who is also the county’s fire chief. “We had some problems that we identified in our exercises, but we had a lot of strengths. I think it’s some of best training done in a while.”
The Georgia Department of Agriculture was a key player in the effort. UGA’s Fanning Institute helped facilitate it.
The county’s board of commissioners has since added the animal plan to the local emergency plan, which the city and county use to respond to and recover from any manmade or natural disaster.
As part of the plan, Doles is the first person county officials will call if there is a disaster. The third person on that list is Funderburk, who keeps a copy of the plan close by, ready to grab in case a tornado hits a veterinarian’s office or a hurricane sends evacuees up I-75, pets in hand, looking for shelter.
“I hope we don’t ever have to use it, but at least we’ve got a plan,” he said.
Hamilton is now helping emergency management officials in Brooks and Houston counties develop their own plans. These counties were chosen because of their proximity to Georgia’s interstates, their willingness to participate and their local resources.
The workshops are funded by a Department of Homeland Security grant through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency on behalf of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia.
By Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia
Stephanie Schupska is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
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