Weathering the Storm

During Hurricane Irene, many news sources reported displaced families and property damage totals, but few thought about the other populations affected by the storm. Thousands of squirrels, rabbits, dogs, cats, and birds were injured, orphaned, or displaced. Organizations all around the affected areas have been struggling to provide shelter for animals and humans alike. Virginia Beach SPCA alone sheltered more than 200 animals from the storm.
Larger animals such as horses, deer, and even zoo animals needed protection from the hurricane. Farm owners reinforced buildings and moved feed to high dry places. Local zoos transferred animals such as coyotes, foxes, birds, and other smaller animals to other facilities inland on higher ground, and moved larger animals to highland areas in enclosures. Deer in the Johnson Park Zoo instinctually headed to higher ground before the keepers got there. Animals always seem to sense when things are coming.
Whether the animals are household pets or natural wildlife, they deserve consideration during natural disasters. Wildlife tends to be able to protect itself and its young, and usually flees in advance of the storm. However, some animals don’t make it out in time and are trapped, injured, or orphaned. In these instances, local wildlife organizations should be contacted in order to provide proper care for these animals.
If the animals are in your care, such as birds, rabbits, turtles, or other animals that would be kept in outdoor enclosures, the best option would be for you to take them with you during an evacuation. The next best option would be to find some animal care shelters in your area that would be able to take the animals in emergency situations. If you have no other option, make sure your animals are in a safe shelter with enough provisions for a couple weeks. Even though a natural disaster like a hurricane may only last a few days, the roads may be impassable or area closed off for a longer period of time.
The same rules apply for house pets. These animals are less likely to be forgotten in these situations, but an alarming amount of displaced or abandoned pets are found in the wake of natural disasters. If you are unable to take your pet with you or find a shelter for the animal, you should make provisions for a few weeks. Also, to improve your chances of reuniting with your pets, should it be displaced, is to microchip your animals.