Lamorinda
Community Emergency Response
Team
Unit 10: Pet Preparedness
Released: 1 January 2017
Lamorinda CERT
Community Emergency Response
Team
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Personal safety is ALWAYS the number one priority
Work as a team
Wear personal protective equipment…gloves, helmet,
goggles, N95 mask and boots
The CERT goal is to do the
Greatest Good for the Greatest Number
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Hope for the best but plan for the worst
Visual 10.1
Lamorinda CERT
Why Pets Matter
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Why Pets Matter
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63% of all US households own pets
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During Katrina, 25% of pet owners failed to
evacuate (during mandatory evacuation)
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During Katrina, 40% of pet owners left pets
behind (during mandatory evacuation)
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During Katrina, 70% of those pet owners
attempted to return to rescue their animals
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After Katrina, 61% of pet owners state they
will not evacuate without their pets
Pets Matter, Because People Matter...
Visual 10.2
Lamorinda CERT
Pets in Disasters
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"During Hurricane Katrina, tens of
thousands of animals became homeless
or perished. Many pet owners stayed
with their pets and perished,"
Rep. Chris Shays, 2006
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The Pets Evacuation and Transportation
Standards (PETS) Act – introduced by
Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.) and Rep. Chris
Shays (R-Conn.) – requires the inclusion
of companion animals in disaster
planning at the state and local levels.

It was signed into law by President Bush
on October 8, 2006
Visual 10.3
Lamorinda CERT
Pets in Contra Costa County
City
Population
Households
Dogs
Cats
Birds
Horses
Other
Total
101,049
37.846
21,951
24,978
3,785
1,892
4,050
56,656
Brentwood
40,912
15,323
8,887
10,113
1,532
766
1,640
22,938
Clayton
10,982
4,113
2,386
2,715
411
206
440
6,157
Concord
124,798
46,741
27,110
30,849
4,674
2,337
5,001
69,971
Danville
42,809
16,033
9,299
10,582
1,603
802
1,716
24,002
El Cerrito
23,407
8,767
5,085
5,786
877
438
938
13,124
Hercules
23,360
8,749
5,074
5,774
875
437
936
13,097
24,317
9,107
5,282
6,011
911
455
975
13,634
Martinez
36,818
13,790
7,998
9,101
1,379
689
1,475
20,643
Moraga
16,435
6,155
3,570
4,063
616
308
659
9,215
28,265
10,586
6,140
6,987
1,059
529
1,133
15,847
17,797
6,666
3,866
4,399
667
333
713
9,978
Pinole
19,604
7,342
4,259
4,846
734
367
786
10,991
Pittsburg
62,605
23,448
13,600
15,475
2,345
1,172
2,509
35,101
Pleasant Hill
33,638
12,599
7,307
8,315
1,260
630
1,348
18,860
Richmond
103,012
38,581
22,377
25,464
3,858
1,929
4,128
57,756
San Pablo
31,344
11,739
6,809
7,748
1,174
587
1,256
17,574
San Ramon
51,027
19,111
11,085
12,613
1,911
956
2,045
28,610
Walnut Creek
66,501
24,907
14,446
16,438
2,491
1,245
2,665
37,285
161,574
60,582
35,138
39,984
6,058
3,029
6.482
90,691
1,020,434
382,185
221,667
252,242
38,219
19,019
40,894
572,131
Antioch
Lafayette
Oakley
Orinda
Unincorporated
Total
Estimates from 2000
Visual 10.4
Lamorinda CERT
Secure Your Animals
Your Home May Be Compromised
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Create Controlled Environment
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Have Kennels / Evac-Sacs in a
Place
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Assign Retrieval Tasks to Family
Members
Have Buddy System
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Exchange Keys / Plans With Neighbor / Pet Sitter
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Identify Safe Outdoor Holding Area
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Obtain Materials to Create Holding Area
Visual 10.5
Lamorinda CERT
Safe
Identify Evacuation Locations
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Safe distance from home
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Coordinate with Neighbors
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Define Tasks
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Identify Pet Friendly Hotels
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www.pet-friendly-hotels.net
www.dogfriendly.com
www.petfriendlytravel.com
www.travelpets.com
Identify Boarding Kennels and
Ranches
Visual 10.6
Lamorinda CERT
Evacuation
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Evacuate with your animals
 PETS Act: Mandatory evacuation of pets with
human animals
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If you are not home:
 You may not be home when the evacuation order
comes; find out if a trusted neighbor would be
willing to take your pets and meet you at a
prearranged location.
Visual 10.7
Lamorinda CERT
Keep Your Animals Alive
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Store animal food (2 weeks)
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Airtight, waterproof containers
In secure area
Store extra water (2 week supply)
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Not in direct sunlight
Water that is unfit for human animals
is unfit for ALL animals
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Food and water bowls
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Paper towels, dish soap, disinfectant
Visual 10.8
Lamorinda CERT
Keep Your Animals Healthy
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Pet first aid kit
Medications
Ask vet about his/her disaster plan
Blankets
Toys and treats
Plastic poop bags or cat litter and litter trays
Visual 10.9
Lamorinda CERT
Provide a Clean, Safe Place
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Dogs and cats
 Collapsible crate or kennel
 Harness, leash and cable screw / stake
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Horses, swine, cattle
 Halter and lead rope
 Bedding material
 Manure fork
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Birds, reptiles, rabbits
 Cage liners
 Evacuation cage or carrier
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Fish?
Visual 10.10
Lamorinda CERT
ID Your Animals and Yourself
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ID your pets
Put an ID tag on collar
 Microchip each pet
 Vet contact
 Vaccination records / spayed or neutered
 Register your pet – www.findingrover.com
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ID yourself
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Take photos of yourself with your pets
• In wallet
• In emergency kit
• With loved one outside of district
Visual 10.11
Lamorinda CERT
Travel ID Baggie
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Put these 3 items in a Ziplock bag and keep them with your pet:
Visual 10.12
Lamorinda CERT
Travel ID Baggie
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Put these 3 items in a Ziplock bag and keep them with your pet:
Visual 10.13
Lamorinda CERT
Travel ID Baggie
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Put these 3 items in a Ziplock bag and keep them with your pet:
Visual 10.14
Lamorinda CERT
Pets Left in Cars
Visual 10.15
Lamorinda CERT
Pets Left in Cars
Section 597.7 of the Penal Code Signed into law 26 Sept 2016
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(a) A person shall not leave or confine an animal in any unattended motor vehicle under conditions that
endanger the health or well-being of an animal due to heat, cold, lack of adequate ventilation, or lack of
food or water, or other circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause suffering, disability, or
death to the animal.
(b) (1) This section does not prevent a person from taking reasonable steps that are necessary to remove
an animal from a motor vehicle if the person holds a reasonable belief that the animal’s safety is in
immediate danger from heat, cold, lack of adequate ventilation, lack of food or water, or other
circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause suffering, disability, or death to the animal.
(2) A person who removes an animal from a vehicle in accordance with paragraph (1) is not criminally
liable for actions taken reasonably and in good faith if the person does all of the following:
(A) Determines the vehicle is locked or there is otherwise no reasonable manner for the animal to be
removed from the vehicle.
(B) Has a good faith belief that forcible entry into the vehicle is necessary because the animal is in
imminent danger of suffering harm if it is not immediately removed from the vehicle, and, based upon the
circumstances known to the person at the time, the belief is a reasonable one.
(C) Has contacted a local law enforcement agency, the fire department, animal control, or the “911”
emergency service prior to forcibly entering the vehicle.
(D) Remains with the animal in a safe location, out of the elements but reasonably close to the vehicle,
until a peace officer, humane officer, animal control officer, or another emergency responder arrives.
(E) Used no more force to enter the vehicle and remove the animal from the vehicle than was necessary
under the circumstances.
(F) Immediately turns the animal over to a representative from law enforcement, animal control, or
another emergency responder who responds to the scene.
Visual 10.16
Lamorinda CERT
What’s Next
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CoCoCART – Contra Costa County Animal Response Team
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Learn pet first aid
 American Red Cross
 ARF – Animal Rescue Foundation
 Many local instructors
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Take FEMA courses
IS-10 – Animals in Disaster, Awareness and Preparedness
 IS-11 – Animals in Disaster, community Planning
 IS-111 – Livestock in Disasters
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• http://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp
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Join animal rescue groups
Visual 10.17
Lamorinda CERT
Unit Summary
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Why pets matter
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Keep your animals safe
 Secure your animals
 Identify evacuation locations
 Keeping your animals alive
 Keeping your animals healthy
 Provide a clean, safe place
 ID your animals and yourself
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Pets left in cars
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Get additional training
Visual 10.18
Lamorinda CERT