Recent catastrophic events, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, identified the need to provide companion animal sheltering. One lesson learned from that event was that many people would not leave their pets behind. Because they would not leave their pets, they did not evacuate when it was still safe to do so. Another important lesson was the need to respond to a large number of companion animals that might be left behind or otherwise become stray, and to design efficient systems for reuniting these animals with their owners.
The Lane County Animals in Disasters (AID) Task Force formed in 2009 to bring together community stakeholders to plan for companion animals and livestock in the event of a disaster. Task Force members include Lane County Animal Services, Greenhill Humane Society, Lane County Veterinary Medical Association, Lane County Public Health, and others active on this issue. The task force drafted a community plan that is part of the Lane County Emergency Management’s Incident Response, and will be activated in the event of a disaster. Work continues to exercise and refine the plan, recruit and train volunteers who will be called to respond during an emergency, and promote individual preparedness in the community.