Making disaster plans for pets

No pet left behind.

At least that's the goal of disaster-response plans being developed by the state and some local communities.

"This need was brought home during Hurricane Katrina when people refused to leave their homes because they would rather perish with their pets than let their pets die alone," said J. David Naparstek, health and human services commissioner in Newton, which is lining up volunteers for emergency pet rescue and care.

State residents own more than 700,000 dogs and more than 800,000 cats, according to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Add to that the many rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets, reptiles, and other small and farm animals across Massachusetts, and the number grows considerably larger.

The pets are now protected under a little-noticed federal law, the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act.

Signed by President Bush in October, the law requires emergency preparedness authorities to include in their plans accommodations for household pets and service animals. Without the provision, states and communities cannot receive disaster relief funds.

State plans have been hashed out, officials said, and ideally, local emergency organizations would mimic the state set up. However, many details remain on the drawing boards, they said.

Two years ago, Massachusetts anticipated the federal mandate by setting up a state group to handle the issues involving animals during an emergency, said Scott Giacoppo, who works with the new organization and is deputy director of advocacy for the MSPCA.

"Ever since Hurricane Andrew hit Florida years ago, the humane community has taken disaster preparedness for animals very seriously," said Giacoppo.

The organization, known as the State of Massachusetts Animal Response Team, or SMART, draws on a network of groups, agencies, and individuals. It has been divided into seven groups, each with a role: damage assessment; search and rescue; shelter operations; animal carcass removal and disposal; veterinary services; animal control functions, such as identifying sick animals; and specialized services, such as for aquatic, zoo, and wild animals.

At a recruiting session this week at the West Newton police station, 10 potential volunteers of all ages waited to see if they would make the grade.

"You never know when disaster is going to strike," said Gertrude Lanman, 82, who owns a 9 -year-old vizsla named Boomer. "I'm certainly one of those who wouldn't leave home without my dog."

Also expressing interest was MJ Rosenthal, 38, who said she visits residents of retirement communities with her English mastiff, Annabelle.

Rosenthal, an event-planning consultant, said she wants to help get the Newton rescue effort off the ground. "It would be a natural fit for me," she said.

The city is looking for volunteers to perform a variety of tasks, from registering animals in shelters to caring for them once they are housed to recruiting more volunteers.

"It doesn't take a lot of training," Naparstek said. "It just takes interest and a desire to help."

Newton has designated six emergency pet shelters, the main one at the Crystal Lake bathhouse.

Beyond that, Eric Mondschein, a Tufts University veterinary and public health graduate student, developed a 200-page manual for the city to help volunteers understand their tasks and train others.

Mondschein, who is from Providence, said implementing the manual could take months or years -- and that's only the beginning.

"The hardest thing about this project is that the teams could easily dissolve," Mondschein said. "With any emergency planning, if you don't have an emergency over several years, it's hard to keep people motivated."

That was the case in Southborough, where Linda Hubley helped recruit 40 volunteers starting in 2003.

Hubley, cochairwoman of the Southborough animal disaster preparedness team, said the volunteers started dropping out during the two grueling years it took to brainstorm, write, and develop the town's extensive animal management plan.

Under the plan, St. Matthew's Church, once designated as a shelter for people, has been reassigned for pets. The plan even includes a bus to ferry owners to the shelter for a visit.

Hubley said the plan accounts for horses and cows as well as household pets.

Neal Aspesi, a Southborough firefighter and the town's emergency management director of operations, pointed out that abandoned animals pose a health threat, particularly if they get sick or die.

Town officials encourage families with pets to keep on hand a 72-hour supply of food, as well as a cage, collar, and leash, and necessities such as kitty litter, if a pet has to be moved to an emergency shelter.

"We honestly can't have the resources for every pet in town," Aspesi said.

In Wayland, where the middle school has been designated as a shelter, pets would use one side and people the other. While not allowed to actually set up camp with their pets, owners would be able to spend time with them, said Gale McNiff, the town's Emergency Planning Committee chairwoman.

"Some pet owners will sit there the entire time, and I would probably be one of them," McNiff said.

McNiff, who is still seeking volunteers, has been working on emergency planning since 2003.

"It's a very slow process," she said. "It's like the old joke: 'If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.' That's the emergency planner's mantra."

For more information on disaster planning for pets, visit smart-mass.org. For Newton, call animal control at 617-796-2109. For Southborough, visit southboroughanimaldisaster preparedness.org or call 508-481-6398. For Wayland, visit waylandcert.org or e-mail melagm@aol.com (write "animal emergency" in the subject line).

Connie Paige can be reached at cpaige@globe.com.