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FOR PEOPLE WHO HAD TO LEAVE PETS BEHIND!!!

Emergency Animal Rescue Service in Tampa to Assist with Hurricane Charley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SACRAMENTO, CA (August 13, 2004) – The Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) has been called in by Hillsborough County Animal Services in Tampa, Florida to assist with animal rescue, care and sheltering during and after Hurricane Charley. Nearly one million people have been evacuated in anticipation of Charley’s landfall this afternoon, the largest evacuation in Florida since 1999’s Hurricane Floyd.

"Hillsborough County Animal Services is at capacity and cannot take in any more animals, so EARS will be setting up a temporary shelter to house animals found or rescued during the storm," reports EARS South East Regional Director Raquel Alquisy, who is assisting with Hillsborough’s animal disaster response and coordinating EARS efforts in the area. "We are expecting this storm to require a massive effort to assist displaced animals. Those evacuating are strongly urged to take their animals with them."

Every effort should be made to bring animals with your family during evacuation. Most hotels and motels are pet-friendly and even those who might not normally accept pets may make exceptions during disasters. Check PetsWelcome.com for a comprehensive listing of pet-friendly accommodations. While Red Cross shelters do not allow pets, if you evacuate to a shelter, your pets are safer in your car at the shelter than they are at your house. Red Cross shelters will be notified as soon as the temporary animal shelters are in place.

In the worst-case scenario, if you decide you have to leave your animals at home, please be sure to:

leave companion animals inside with access to the kitchen, hallways and bathrooms;
close off doors to your more cluttered rooms (the ones with the best hiding places);
provide plenty of food and water; and
secure a sign to your front door with the word "PETS" written in large letters. On the sign, also write the type and number of animals inside to aid rescuers.
If you live in Hillsborough County and need to report an animal left behind during evacuation, please call Hillsborough Animal Services at (813) 744-5660. Information will be relayed to animal control officers in the field, who will call on EARS if needed.

EARS, the disaster rescue program of United Animal Nations, is a nationwide network of more than 2,000 trained volunteers dedicated to rescuing and caring for animals during disasters. Dozens of trained EARS volunteers have mobilized to assist with Hurricane Charley efforts, with several flying or driving during the night to get to Tampa in time to help. During the past fourteen years, EARS volunteers have helped thousands of animal disaster victims including more than 400 animals during last fall's devastating Southern California wildfires.

All disaster rescues are funded by donations and provided free of charge to the community. To contribute to the EARS Hurricane Charley effort, send donations to UAN, P.O. Box 188890, Sacramento, CA 95818 or click here. To read updates about the EARS Hurricane Charley response, visit UAN’s website at www.uan.org.

United Animal Nations is a non-profit national animal advocacy and rescue organization headquartered in Sacramento, California. For further information, contact UAN at (916) 429-2457, visit our website at www.uan.org or send an email to info@uan.org.