Veterinarians team up to help pets, livestock in time of disaster

I would never abandon my pet, I would stay unless it came with me.

Thats right, the big sleep, right next to its dozen brothers and sisters that were not cute enough or got sick and died from sickness before they even had a chance to leave the "factory"

It's lucky if it get's the big sleep, a lot worse happens too many times, and these owners need punishment in kind!

Our town recently had a disaster drill; residents were asked to act as if there had been a huge earthquake, and to evacuate as if it were the real thing.

We took them at their word and turned up at the specified shelter with dogs in tow and the cat basket strapped to the back of a bicycle (we considered it too much stress to actually evacuate the cat when there was no need). One other family turned up with a dog, and it was obvious that they and we had 'got it wrong'; in an emergency, we were apparently expected to leave animals at home to fend for themselves. We were asked to tie the dogs up to a fence somewhere 'while we get on with the drill'. In a real emergency, it could be snowing, raining, freezing cold or swelteringly hot, but there was no thought of providing any shelter for critters.

If the situation is dire enough that we need to leave our homes, then we need to take the whole family, two-legged and four-legged, with us. If there is no need to evacuate the animals, then there is no need for us to leave our homes.

This idea of VMATs to provide treatment for animals is a good thing; but ahead of that, the people organising the evacuation need to realise that they are not evacuating only people, and unless they make proper provision for animals more people will be sleeping in cars when they really need to be in a shelter.

I guess the govt veterinary dept need to play a big role as well. It is good to have private sector volunteer but may not be reliable. The private sector vet are best to get and establish periodic medical checkup and vaccination contracts for all livestock farms to prevent disease outbreak.

I would absolutely never leave my pet. If the evacuations centers (for how can I call these places shelters, if they don't offer that to all?) won't take a pet, then they're no good to me.

i will stay to the end to protect my pets a dog and 3 house trained rabbits

NO WAY would I ever leave an animal at home in case of an emergency ! They've got to be kidding !

goodlucktoyou: "I would never abandon my pet, I would stay unless it came with me."

That's good, but there may be cases where you are not at home at the time of the disaster, can't get to the pet, and it has been let loose as a result of the quake, or what have you. And this is also about livestock, which can't so easily be taken with you. I realize people mean they would never intentionally leave their pets, but just saying.

In any case, a great thing, and I am happy they are doing this. I always feel sorry for animals left behind, and in the cases of major disasters the farm animals left to starve to death and rot is an absolute travesty.