Monthly Meeting 6

Animals in Emergencies

July 29, 2025

Eve has experience evacuating, sheltering, fostering and taking care of cats, dogs, turtles, birds incl chickens, parrots, emus, ostriches, horses, cows, goats, pigs, and many more.

She shared her experience managing animal evacuations during emergencies, highlighting her ability to safely relocate over 500 animals, including peacocks, emus, and ducks, using Excel spreadsheets and now Shelterly for tracking. 

Eve emphasized the importance of knowing local resources, biosecurity rules, and trusted contacts to ensure animals are well cared for during evacuations. She also highlighted biosecurity practices like using Lysol to prevent the spread of diseases. And stressed the need for closed-toed shoes on her property and encouraged using lysol to spray shoes before entering or leaving a property with animals (hens, livestock etc.)

Eve encouraged attendees to post questions on Slack #general for further clarification.

• If you are told to evacuate, do it. Do not search for your pet - the time to be prepared to bring your pet is before the emergency
  
  

• Preparation:

  • have a pet carrier ready (for birds, a towel to safely handle them)

  • any medications, food, 

  • care and handling instructions if need to be dropped off to shelter / 3rd party

  • Signs to put on your mailbox if pet lost or left at home

  • Photos of your pet

  • Animal Reunification Software and Programs

    • Register your pet at shelterly.org in advance for tracking 

    • see also PetCo LoveLost for non emergency pet reuniting

    • but currently, entering data with ACOS or local SPCA is more effective. 

    • success of coordination between agencies during the LA fires, achieving a 96% return rate for animals

  • in case your pet cannot be found

    • does your pet have a tag w your phone/email ?

    • is your pet chipped ?

    • Airtags or similar may be helpful to locate

    • put a sign on your mailbox (also if you need to leave your pet at your house)
      
      

• WPV-Ready Captains:

  • Help neighborhood residents create luggage tags with animal information for emergency preparedness.

  • Distribute "In Case of Emergency" animal information forms to neighborhood residents.
    
    

• CERTs

  • if you encounter animals while on Damage Assessment or other mobile team dispatch:

    • take photographs, record tag info if available

    • do not bring animals to IC

    • provide water if you think appropriate, do not provide food

    • avoid touching (biohazard both for CERT and animal), use PPE (gloves)

    • report encounter back to IC

    • if injured or dead animal - secure the site (tape/cones) and proceed w your assignment

  • this all applies to finding animals in non-emergencies as well

    • take photos, call San Mateo County animal control and provide location details.
      
      

• if you are interested to learn more and / or join a volunteer organization

  • contact Eve on Slack

  • join SMC LAEG: San Mateo County Large Animal Evacuation Group

  • join California Animal Welfare Association

Eve's slides

you can also download them:

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