By: Gordon Williams, luckywin Volunteer

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Humans aren鈥檛 the only creatures that suffer in disasters.听Animals, from the smallest to the very largest, can be scorched by flames,听drowned by rising flood waters, and sickened or killed by toxic wildfire听smoke.听

One tragic aspect of Hurricane Katrina was that 50,000 pets听died in the storm and hundreds of people died because they wouldn't leave their听pets behind.听

Alerted by the Katrina experience, the luckywin听launched an effort to improve the way it incorporates pet care into disaster听response. The term 鈥榩et鈥� in this case, applies to household animals and does听not apply to service animals at shelters. Working service animals are always听allowed in all parts of Red Cross shelters.

In the latest pet-centric move, the Red Cross Northwest听Region has named a team of Pet Liaison volunteers who are the 鈥渇oot soldiers鈥澨齩f the Pet Champion Program. They work within the Red Cross and with emergency听management and animal welfare agencies to make sure policies for pet care in听disasters are being carried out.

When disasters reach level four on the Red Cross scale (very听big, very bad events), the liaisons deploy to shelters to supervise pet听care.听鈥淭hey're the boots-on-the-ground people making sure that pets are听being well cared for,鈥� says Deborah Dunn, Red Cross Pet Liaison Lead for the Northwest Region. 鈥淭hey make sure there is enough food and enough cat litter听for animals housed in and near shelters, and that pets are not disturbing other听shelter residents.鈥� 听

Dunn, who came to the Red Cross just over a year ago, was a听high school history teacher with no disaster response background. Seeing how听animals suffered in wildfires near her Central Washington home made her a pet听advocate. There are now seven Pet Liaisons in the Northwest Region, one in each听local area.

One role the pet liaisons will play is that of educators 鈥斕齮eaching pet owners the rules for keeping their animals safe from fire, flood听and storm. The basic rule is to prepare your pets for disaster as you now听prepare your family for disaster. Dunn recalls watching the chaotic efforts to听safeguard horses in a fire that burned near her home. 鈥淭here was no order to听it,鈥� she says.听

You create order by including听your pets when planning听for disaster.听Know ahead of time where you would go for shelter if you had听to evacuate. The Red Cross and your local disaster management agency can help听you with that. Assume you need a crate or carrier to move the pet and to house it in or near the shelter.听

Dunn says the Red Cross tries to have crates available at听its shelters.听Because demand may outpace supply, a safer bet is to bring听your own if you鈥檙e able.

Dunn warns that pets may need special training to enter and听stay calm in a crate. 鈥淩un drills with your pets,鈥� Dunn says. She suggests听sharing a code word that directs the animal to the crate. 鈥淓ach time the animal听goes into a crate, give them a high-value treat,鈥� she says. That鈥檚 what she听does with her own pet cats. 鈥淲hen I say the word, they run for safety in the听crate.鈥澨�

And while the shelter may have food, you can help your听animal feel comfortable by bringing its favorite food and treats. Keep an extra听bag and food and a supply of treats on hand just in case.听听

As you prepare a go-bag filled with the essentials the听family will need if evacuated, have a go-bag for your pets. Fill it with the听animal's favorite treats and toys and keep it where it can be grabbed in a听hurry. If the pet has a favorite bed, try and grab it before you evacuate. If听the pet is cold-blooded 鈥� a snake or lizard 鈥� take a heating lamp.听

Make sure you have extra supplies of any medications the pet听needs.听 Keep all vaccinations up to date and keep a copy of the听vaccination record. Most shelters won't take an animal that doesn鈥檛 have听up-to-date vaccination records.

Pets can get lost in a disaster. Have photos of your pet and听consider having the animal microchipped. Have a leash and collar readily听accessible. You will need the leash to control a frightened animal.听

While Red Cross workers will prepare the shelter for pets,听don't expect them to do the routine chores of pet ownership 鈥� feeding,听grooming, walking, picking up waste or changing litter boxes. Those are your听chores. On the other hand, caring for your pet can make the time spent in a听shelter pass more quickly.听

Learn more about how to prepare your pets for any emergency.听Visit: redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/pet-disaster-preparedness.html听