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Special Features - Pet Safety
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Pet Safety is Important A monstrous hurricane is, unfortunately, one of Nature's many flamboyant reminders of her dominion. Though we are far from usurping her throne, we have become acutely sensitive to her cycles. This sensitivity allows us, if nothing else, the opportunity to prepare. In 2004, past hurricane survivors were surely taking precautions long before it was clear that Ivan or Jeanne would throw off the shackles of mediocrity and take their rightful places among hurricane history's elite. Is it not, then, our duty to include the most vulnerable in our hurricane evacuation plans, those we have fed and pampered with parental largess? I'm sure many a cat or dog owner would emphatically assent. Ask the question, "Would you leave your pet behind if forced to evacuate?" and most peoples' answers indicate they would sooner walk on their tongues through a sewage plant. Yet the evidence to the contrary suggests, at best, the ill preparedness of pet owners. The sometimes hypertropic development of a tropical cyclone can easily catch one by surprise, and a sorrowful Sophie's Choice-moment inevitably ensues. Keep in mind that many of the dangers to pets appear after the hurricane is gone. These dangers include downed power lines and scattered debris, as well as rain and wind-obscured scent markers, which can increase the possibility of disorientation for pets. Wild animals forced into neighborhoods or even neighbors' pets may become unusually aggressive, heightening the risk of attack. After Charley's departure in 2004, two baby boars, a 6-foot long alligator, and a disoriented bear were found in residential areas. Floyd's arrival in September of 1999 left pets of evacuated families wandering the streets, resulting in a rash of animal bites, a 600% increase over the average. After Andrew in 1992, tens of thousands of South Florida pets left behind were lost, injured or euthanized later when they could not be reunited with their families. When Iniki hit Kauai in 1992, horses were killed or injured from flying roof debris and dogs left tied up were strangled. When hurricane season 2005 comes to a close there will be, undoubtedly, more doleful tales of loss and regret. Personally, I believe an overestimation of pet vigor is partly to blame. That is, people tend to take for granted the super-resilience of all animals, forgetting that domestic pets evolved alongside us, and thus shed some of the natural endurance of their free-dwelling cousins. This is especially true of purebred pets. The assumption should instead be, what we humans cannot survive, neither can our pets. When I spent my first winter in the North, I was surprised to see yards and streets rife with cats and dogs, forced to brave exquisitely cold temperatures while their clueless owners enjoyed the cozy indoors. This apparent pet-hardiness mythology, along with simple procrastination, seems to be the deficiency at work in hurricane-prone areas, as well. Websites such as the Humane Society provide checklists to include pets in hurricane preparations, and more and more pet-friendly shelters and motels are popping up across the South and Southeast. That the prevention is easier than the cure is an all-too-familiar saw, one that comes back around to bite us in the proverbial derriere. Now, then, is the time to change our attitudes and plans, learning the mournful lessons of hurricanes past. |
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Did you know...
• Floods and flash floods happen in all 50 states.
• Everyone lives in a flood zone.
• Homeowners insurance doesn't cover flood damage.
• If you live in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) or high risk area, your mortgage lender requires you to have flood insurance.
• Just an inch of water can cause costly damage to your property.
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