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Pet shelter is new option, but rules must be followed
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NEWS-TIMES
BY CHERYL BURKE
NEWPORT — During past hurricanes, Beth Parker of Emerald Isle has agonized over where to put her pets.
“When you evacuate you think: ‘What am I going to do with my pets?’ We’ve even stayed (on the island) during a couple (of hurricanes) and our pets helped influence that decision,” she said.
Thankfully, that will now change because the county will open its first pet-friendly evacuation shelter at 4 p.m. today for Tropical Storm Hanna, and possibly again next week for Hurricane Ike.
Recognizing the need to open a shelter where residents could bring their pets, County Emergency Services and the Pet Adoption and Welfare Society (PAWS) of Carteret County agreed to work in partnership to open the shelter at Newport Middle School.
“Pets for many people are part of the family,” said Gretchen Trader, administrative assistant for County Emergency Services. “It became an issue nationally when people wouldn’t leave their pets in Katrina (Hurricane Katrina which devastated the Gulf Coast three years ago) and stayed with them and died.”
While people are encouraged to pre-register their pets, those who bring the proper documentation to the shelter will be admitted.
“We will help get folks with pets registered at the designated pet entry,” said Donna Youraine, vice president and director of PAWS. “Owners and pets will be tagged with matching ID. Dogs and cats will be kept separately.
“Owners are also housed in a separate wing of the shelter due to state regulations. All pets are required to come in a carrier. Pets are also required to have current rabies vaccination records.”
If owners have their own wire crates/kennels, they should bring them, according to Ms. Youraine.
“We have no way of knowing how many pets to expect,” she said. “A schedule for walking, feeding, cleaning and medicating will be devised once everyone is registered. Owners will be required to handle these chores.”
Ms. Youraine added that only one member of each family who is over age 18 would be allowed into the pet area to care for their animal.
Ms. Youraine said trained volunteers and county employees would also assist with monitoring pets. PAWS is recruiting volunteers to help at the shelter.
“People who have previously registered to help at this shelter should contact PAWS secretary and director Cynthia Taylor so we can refresh our volunteer list right away,” said Ms. Youraine. “And if anyone has new, in-working-condition, extra large or large metal pet crates they could donate, please let Cynthia know, as well.”
Following is a checklist of guidelines pet owners planning to go to the shelter need to keep in mind:
• Pet owners are required to remain at the shelter to care for their pets.
• Only dogs, cats and birds will be allowed.
• Pet owners must provide: current vaccination records; airline approved carrier; food, water and medications; and cleanup supplies.
• Pets should be disease and parasite-free and must be well behaved.
• Pets must be crated (air approved).
• The owner must provide sufficient food and water supplies for pets, including bowls.
• The owner must present photo identification of the owner and the pets.
• Leash pets at all times when outside of carrier.
• The owner must dispose of waste immediately.
• Owners are liable for damages or injury caused by their pets to any property, person or other animal.
• Only one caretaker per pet may be designated.
• Caretakers and pets are required to wear matching shelter ID.
• All items must be stored in containers that are easy to transport and won’t wear and tear. Don’t use plastic, paper bags or pillowcases. Use waterproof containers to store items that would be damaged if wet.
• Animals abandoned in the shelter will be relocated to the County Humane Society Shelter on Hibbs Road near Newport for disposition at the shelter’s discretion.
• Carteret County reserves the right to refuse admittance to any animal that poses a risk to other animals or people.
While the shelter will service evacuees with pets, others may choose to house their pets at any kennels that may be willing to accept pets. However, few will accept new animals during a hurricane.
Others opt to travel to hotels or motels outside of the area that will accept pets. A list of pet-friendly hotels and motels is available on the PAWS Web site at www.pawsofcarteret.org.
While more options are available for pets, what about those with large animals, such as horses?
Jackie Granger, owner/operator of Ziegler Stables in Newport, said depending on the severity of the storm, it’s usually best to turn horses loose in a protected pasture, making sure the animal is properly identified in the event it escapes. Others with trailers can transport their horses inland to horse-friendly facilities.
“Most people don’t own trailers to trailer them,” said Ms. Granger. “What we do is keep them in as long as possible and make sure they are well fed. Then we release them into our show pen (an area enclosed with wooden fencing).”
Horses will herd together and put their rumps to the wind and drop their heads down, according to Ms. Granger. She added that they put fly mesh over the heads of horses prior to release to protect their eyes from flying debris. Horses are able to still see through the mesh.
Other county residents are dealing with what to do with animals such as goats and chickens. Kim Nead, who owns 23 goats in Newport, said this could be the first season they’ve had to deal with a major storm.
“Goats don’t like getting wet,” she said. “We’ve built barns and shelters for them. This will be our first trial run.”
Abbi Davis, whose family lives on Harkers Island, owns several goats and chickens.
“We usually turn them loose because they won’t wander too far,” she said. “Goats can climb. But we have a friend who has agreed to take the goats, so we could load them into trailers and take them over there. So far we haven’t had any major problems.”
Two inland sites which open their facilities to horse, goats and livestock owners during hurricanes are: the Bob Martin Ag Center in Williamston (about two hours from the county); and the show grounds at the Gov. James B. Hunt Horse Complex at the Raleigh Fair Grounds.
To contact the Bob Martin Ag Center, call 252-792-5802. To contact the Raleigh Show Grounds, call 919-821-7400.
Those wanting to pre-register for the county’s pet-friendly shelter can do so online at: www.co.carteret.nc.us/departments/emergencyservices.htm or at www.pawsofcarteret.org.
Those interested in volunteering to assist PAWS at the shelter should call Ms. Taylor at 726-7221.
“When you evacuate you think: ‘What am I going to do with my pets?’ We’ve even stayed (on the island) during a couple (of hurricanes) and our pets helped influence that decision,” she said.
Thankfully, that will now change because the county will open its first pet-friendly evacuation shelter at 4 p.m. today for Tropical Storm Hanna, and possibly again next week for Hurricane Ike.
Recognizing the need to open a shelter where residents could bring their pets, County Emergency Services and the Pet Adoption and Welfare Society (PAWS) of Carteret County agreed to work in partnership to open the shelter at Newport Middle School.
“Pets for many people are part of the family,” said Gretchen Trader, administrative assistant for County Emergency Services. “It became an issue nationally when people wouldn’t leave their pets in Katrina (Hurricane Katrina which devastated the Gulf Coast three years ago) and stayed with them and died.”
While people are encouraged to pre-register their pets, those who bring the proper documentation to the shelter will be admitted.
“We will help get folks with pets registered at the designated pet entry,” said Donna Youraine, vice president and director of PAWS. “Owners and pets will be tagged with matching ID. Dogs and cats will be kept separately.
“Owners are also housed in a separate wing of the shelter due to state regulations. All pets are required to come in a carrier. Pets are also required to have current rabies vaccination records.”
If owners have their own wire crates/kennels, they should bring them, according to Ms. Youraine.
“We have no way of knowing how many pets to expect,” she said. “A schedule for walking, feeding, cleaning and medicating will be devised once everyone is registered. Owners will be required to handle these chores.”
Ms. Youraine added that only one member of each family who is over age 18 would be allowed into the pet area to care for their animal.
Ms. Youraine said trained volunteers and county employees would also assist with monitoring pets. PAWS is recruiting volunteers to help at the shelter.
“People who have previously registered to help at this shelter should contact PAWS secretary and director Cynthia Taylor so we can refresh our volunteer list right away,” said Ms. Youraine. “And if anyone has new, in-working-condition, extra large or large metal pet crates they could donate, please let Cynthia know, as well.”
Following is a checklist of guidelines pet owners planning to go to the shelter need to keep in mind:
• Pet owners are required to remain at the shelter to care for their pets.
• Only dogs, cats and birds will be allowed.
• Pet owners must provide: current vaccination records; airline approved carrier; food, water and medications; and cleanup supplies.
• Pets should be disease and parasite-free and must be well behaved.
• Pets must be crated (air approved).
• The owner must provide sufficient food and water supplies for pets, including bowls.
• The owner must present photo identification of the owner and the pets.
• Leash pets at all times when outside of carrier.
• The owner must dispose of waste immediately.
• Owners are liable for damages or injury caused by their pets to any property, person or other animal.
• Only one caretaker per pet may be designated.
• Caretakers and pets are required to wear matching shelter ID.
• All items must be stored in containers that are easy to transport and won’t wear and tear. Don’t use plastic, paper bags or pillowcases. Use waterproof containers to store items that would be damaged if wet.
• Animals abandoned in the shelter will be relocated to the County Humane Society Shelter on Hibbs Road near Newport for disposition at the shelter’s discretion.
• Carteret County reserves the right to refuse admittance to any animal that poses a risk to other animals or people.
While the shelter will service evacuees with pets, others may choose to house their pets at any kennels that may be willing to accept pets. However, few will accept new animals during a hurricane.
Others opt to travel to hotels or motels outside of the area that will accept pets. A list of pet-friendly hotels and motels is available on the PAWS Web site at www.pawsofcarteret.org.
While more options are available for pets, what about those with large animals, such as horses?
Jackie Granger, owner/operator of Ziegler Stables in Newport, said depending on the severity of the storm, it’s usually best to turn horses loose in a protected pasture, making sure the animal is properly identified in the event it escapes. Others with trailers can transport their horses inland to horse-friendly facilities.
“Most people don’t own trailers to trailer them,” said Ms. Granger. “What we do is keep them in as long as possible and make sure they are well fed. Then we release them into our show pen (an area enclosed with wooden fencing).”
Horses will herd together and put their rumps to the wind and drop their heads down, according to Ms. Granger. She added that they put fly mesh over the heads of horses prior to release to protect their eyes from flying debris. Horses are able to still see through the mesh.
Other county residents are dealing with what to do with animals such as goats and chickens. Kim Nead, who owns 23 goats in Newport, said this could be the first season they’ve had to deal with a major storm.
“Goats don’t like getting wet,” she said. “We’ve built barns and shelters for them. This will be our first trial run.”
Abbi Davis, whose family lives on Harkers Island, owns several goats and chickens.
“We usually turn them loose because they won’t wander too far,” she said. “Goats can climb. But we have a friend who has agreed to take the goats, so we could load them into trailers and take them over there. So far we haven’t had any major problems.”
Two inland sites which open their facilities to horse, goats and livestock owners during hurricanes are: the Bob Martin Ag Center in Williamston (about two hours from the county); and the show grounds at the Gov. James B. Hunt Horse Complex at the Raleigh Fair Grounds.
To contact the Bob Martin Ag Center, call 252-792-5802. To contact the Raleigh Show Grounds, call 919-821-7400.
Those wanting to pre-register for the county’s pet-friendly shelter can do so online at: www.co.carteret.nc.us/departments/emergencyservices.htm or at www.pawsofcarteret.org.
Those interested in volunteering to assist PAWS at the shelter should call Ms. Taylor at 726-7221.
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