Whether it’s a winter storm or summer wildfire dangers, the pets that share our homes and spaces are at risk from emergency and disaster - just like the human members of our families.
According to data from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Colorado ranks among the top ten states in terms of percentage of households that own pets1. An estimated 60% of Colorado households include dogs, cats, birds, and horses. Moreover, most pet-owning households include more than one animal.2
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Any emergency or disaster that affects large numbers of people will affect animals, too. Companion animals depend on their human caregivers for daily needs like food and water, but also transportation and escape from dangerous situations - including evacuation during disaster.
Keeping animals safe, healthy, and well - is the mission of the animal’s family as well as the veterinary and animal-care professionals on their care team. The loss of animal life or injury / emotional trauma to animals during a disaster is scarring for all the humans that care for animal wellbeing - including veterinary and animal care professionals.
Ground-breaking policies such as Colorado’s H.B. 24-1033—Disaster Preparedness and Sheltering Bill have passed the CO House of Representatives on March 13, 2024 and will be heard in the CO Senate on March 19th. This new legislation encourages pet-awareness at all levels of disaster planning and prioritizes pet-friendly sheltering sites to give family-units (pets and their humans) safe evacuation options during a disaster.
Read more about HB 24-1033 here on the ASPCA website: https://secure.aspca.org/action/co-disaster (photo credit3)
What does pet-inclusive evacuation shelters mean for animal safety?
Importantly, there are currently no requirements for vaccination records for an animal to enter an evacuation shelter with their human - evacuation shelters are available for everyone. The availability of sheltering for the members of the family-units - including non-human animals - is critical to the safety of our communities.
Colorado families can prepare to evacuate with their pet by proactively addressing evacuation safety for your animal. Keep your pet safe, by preparing them to safely evacuate before disaster occurs.
Ensuring that your pet is safe during a disaster, and able to navigate the stress of evacuation successfully includes more than only having a go-bag prepped. Be proactive now - review your pet’s physiologic and psychologic health - help them be prepared for disaster.
Stressful events will always impact your animal - we can help them be both physically and mentally resilient despite those stressors.
Communicable diseases are a risk in any situation that results in many different families and individuals mingling together in close proximity. During disasters, evacuees (human and animal) are exposed to mental, emotional, and physical stressors. When stress levels are high, body systems are required to work overtime to keep the body stable.
One of the best ways to prevent injury during a disaster is to be prepared beforehand - this means physical preparedness and practicing evacuation during low-stress times.
We can prepare and increase the tone stress-response systems of an animal’s physical and mental body. Easy preventative / strengthening practices such support to the immune system, support to the adrenal glands, and support to the endocannabinoid systems prepare an animal’s body to navigate a stressful and challenging situation, successfully.
A well balanced body is better able to adapt and grow through challenging experiences without negative long term effects.
45min Appointments / $75 / Prep Clinic + Evacuation CounselingThese 45 min appointments with Dr. Andre are opportunities to discuss your pet’s emergency preparedness, particularly their physical (and emotional) resiliency for the stress associated with a disaster / evacuation event. Virtual or in-person (North Denver / Boulder) options available.
These counseling sessions are intended to answer your specific questions about health effects / risks of taking your animal to an evacuation shelter, how to mitigate that risk with risk-appropriate immunization, monitoring diagnostics, and nutrition and immune system support.
Pet Prep For Evacuation Clinics offer the following services:
Find scheduled clinic locations on our Bulletin Board, here.
Interested in booking an appointment, or have a question? Please reach out by email: [email protected] - we look forward to connecting with you and your pet soon.
Subscribed
1
American Veterinary Medical Association. (2018). AVMA Pet ownership and demographics sourcebook. American Veterinary Medical Association.
2
Irvine, L., & Andre, C. (2022). Tracking the Effects of the Marshall Fire on Pets and People (Natural Hazards Center Quick Response Research Report Series, Report 347). Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder. https://hazards.colorado.edu/quick-response-report/tracking-the-effects-of-the-marshall-fire-on-pets-and-people
3
https://secure.aspca.org/action/co-disaster
According to data from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Colorado ranks among the top ten states in terms of percentage of households that own pets1. An estimated 60% of Colorado households include dogs, cats, birds, and horses. Moreover, most pet-owning households include more than one animal.2
Cultivate Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Subscribed
Any emergency or disaster that affects large numbers of people will affect animals, too. Companion animals depend on their human caregivers for daily needs like food and water, but also transportation and escape from dangerous situations - including evacuation during disaster.
Keeping animals safe, healthy, and well - is the mission of the animal’s family as well as the veterinary and animal-care professionals on their care team. The loss of animal life or injury / emotional trauma to animals during a disaster is scarring for all the humans that care for animal wellbeing - including veterinary and animal care professionals.
Ground-breaking policies such as Colorado’s H.B. 24-1033—Disaster Preparedness and Sheltering Bill have passed the CO House of Representatives on March 13, 2024 and will be heard in the CO Senate on March 19th. This new legislation encourages pet-awareness at all levels of disaster planning and prioritizes pet-friendly sheltering sites to give family-units (pets and their humans) safe evacuation options during a disaster.
Read more about HB 24-1033 here on the ASPCA website: https://secure.aspca.org/action/co-disaster (photo credit3)
What does pet-inclusive evacuation shelters mean for animal safety?
Importantly, there are currently no requirements for vaccination records for an animal to enter an evacuation shelter with their human - evacuation shelters are available for everyone. The availability of sheltering for the members of the family-units - including non-human animals - is critical to the safety of our communities.
Colorado families can prepare to evacuate with their pet by proactively addressing evacuation safety for your animal. Keep your pet safe, by preparing them to safely evacuate before disaster occurs.
- What is your pet’s physical and emotional health status? How will an evacuation affect their wellbeing? Short term and long term.
- What options do you have for evacuation and sheltering in an emergency - which options are best for your pet?
- What can you do, before the disaster, to make the evacuation experience less stressful / chronically impactful for your pet?
Ensuring that your pet is safe during a disaster, and able to navigate the stress of evacuation successfully includes more than only having a go-bag prepped. Be proactive now - review your pet’s physiologic and psychologic health - help them be prepared for disaster.
Stressful events will always impact your animal - we can help them be both physically and mentally resilient despite those stressors.
Communicable diseases are a risk in any situation that results in many different families and individuals mingling together in close proximity. During disasters, evacuees (human and animal) are exposed to mental, emotional, and physical stressors. When stress levels are high, body systems are required to work overtime to keep the body stable.
One of the best ways to prevent injury during a disaster is to be prepared beforehand - this means physical preparedness and practicing evacuation during low-stress times.
We can prepare and increase the tone stress-response systems of an animal’s physical and mental body. Easy preventative / strengthening practices such support to the immune system, support to the adrenal glands, and support to the endocannabinoid systems prepare an animal’s body to navigate a stressful and challenging situation, successfully.
A well balanced body is better able to adapt and grow through challenging experiences without negative long term effects.
45min Appointments / $75 / Prep Clinic + Evacuation CounselingThese 45 min appointments with Dr. Andre are opportunities to discuss your pet’s emergency preparedness, particularly their physical (and emotional) resiliency for the stress associated with a disaster / evacuation event. Virtual or in-person (North Denver / Boulder) options available.
These counseling sessions are intended to answer your specific questions about health effects / risks of taking your animal to an evacuation shelter, how to mitigate that risk with risk-appropriate immunization, monitoring diagnostics, and nutrition and immune system support.
Pet Prep For Evacuation Clinics offer the following services:
- Immunization (vaccination ) updates - $35 / vaccination
- Baseline diagnostic laboratory panels
- $75 | Blood chemistry panel, complete blood count, urine stress panel
- $45 | (needle-free!!!) urine panel to evaluate system stress and organ health
- $75 | Blood chemistry panel, complete blood count, urine stress panel
- Preventative medications restocked - heartworm / flea / tick preventative
- Supplement Support - Immune & stress support protocol
- GoBag prep discussions - what supplies should your pet’s go bag have?
- GoSlow Appointments for restraint-hesitant or touch-guarded animals. Our 30min appointments focus on strengthening the human-animal bond and building on each animal’s existing repertoire of communication signals.
- Evaluation for Enrollment in our Cooperative Care classes for families that want to work on cooperative medical care skills with their animals. With a bit of communication practice, going to the clinic doesn’t need to be scary. Watch Dr. Andre’s cat, Silas, demonstrate his fitness routine.
Find scheduled clinic locations on our Bulletin Board, here.
Interested in booking an appointment, or have a question? Please reach out by email: [email protected] - we look forward to connecting with you and your pet soon.
Subscribed
1
American Veterinary Medical Association. (2018). AVMA Pet ownership and demographics sourcebook. American Veterinary Medical Association.
2
Irvine, L., & Andre, C. (2022). Tracking the Effects of the Marshall Fire on Pets and People (Natural Hazards Center Quick Response Research Report Series, Report 347). Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder. https://hazards.colorado.edu/quick-response-report/tracking-the-effects-of-the-marshall-fire-on-pets-and-people
3
https://secure.aspca.org/action/co-disaster
