Birmingham – It happened time and again during Hurricane Katrina: Animal owners refused to evacuate their homes or remained in damaged property afterward because emergency shelters refused to accept their pets.
Humane Society and Jefferson County emergency response officials say new equipment they received today should help ease that problem in future disasters.
Using a FEMA grant, planners with the organizations have purchased a 24-foot trailer and are equipping it with cages, leashes, basic medicines, animal food and bowls to provide a way to care for animals statewide after hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and other disasters.
With the total cost about $80,000 will be able to care for 80 pets at a time. It can be taken to disaster scenes and parked at shelters to care for the pets of people forced from their homes. Officials hope the trailer will remove a reason that previously kept many people from going to a shelter during an approaching storm.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)