UNP-2109

How to Develop a Disaster Management Plan for Exotic Pets

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Introduction

Very few exotic pet owners seem to approach ownership with any forethought about expense, time, commitment, or potential danger these animals could pose to them, their families, and/or communities. This will include native wildlife, domestic animals, and emergency responders if they should ever become loose under intentional or unintentional circumstances like natural or manmade disasters. To mitigate these dangers, every exotic pet owner should have a well thought-out and rehearsed disaster management plan.

What should a disaster plan for exotic pets contain?

Any owners’ disaster management plan for exotic pets should include: 1) pre-disaster preparation; 2) plans to assist the exotic animals that remain in danger during a disaster; and 3) plans to get your exotic animals back to normal behavior patterns as soon as possible after the disaster. Naturally, the more animals you have, the more thought should be given in developing a disaster plan.

Pre-disaster preparation encompasses some long-range planning that will be the same across the board for every exotic animal owner, such as gathering any registration (permit) papers, medical and vaccination records, and photos of your animals. When gathering photos, be sure to include some of you with your animals to verify ownership in case you will need to claim your pets after a separation. These documents should go in your grab and go bag that is part of your comprehensive disaster evacuation kit. All animals, if eligible, should have a microchip inserted and the microchip should be registered with your up-to-date contact

information. This is the best way to give the animal sanctuaries and the proper authorities a chance to contact you should your exotic pet get separated from you during a disaster and is recovered.

If you know that it will be difficult to evacuate with your exotic pets due to size and/or number, then it is wise to make alternative arrangements beforehand. Check area sanctuaries today to see if they will be able to accommodate your exotic pets as an alternative to transporting or sheltering in place with them. If you find a place willing to take them do not delay in transporting them to the sanctuary when warnings are posted about an approaching event. Follow the prearranged timeline set up with the receiving sanctuary when the original arrangements were made, but be sure and check in with them by telephone before you set off with your exotic pets. Do not arrive unannounced. Bring all your paperwork for all your animals with you.

Although unpleasant, pre-disaster planning is a good time to prioritize your animals. If you have several exotic pets or more than one large exotic pet, it may not be possible to evacuate or to rescue every one of them due to time, financial, or transportation restraints.

Figure 1. Photo of chimpanzee by hotblack, morguefile.com.

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When packing a disaster evacuation kit for your exotic pets make sure to include the following:

• A map with a clearly-marked, well thought-out route, including intermediate stops at reasonable intervals for people traveling with exotic pets. Be sure to choose a final destination that you know will accommodate your entire family (exotic pets included).

• A sturdy, safe and comfortable carrier for each exotic pet you need to evacuate.

• Each exotic pet’s registration papers, medical and vaccination records, and photos, as well as any medication for your pet.

• Separate feeding and water bowls for each animal.

• Regular dry food supplies for at least three days for each pet (trade this out every three months to keep fresh food on hand)

• Manual can opener and regular canned food for at least three days for each pet (trade this out every three months to keep fresh food on hand) if canned food is a requirement in the regular diet.

• Emergency water supplies for all pets, for at least three days. Most mammals should consume at least 2.5 times as much water as dry food every day. The water should be given several times throughout the day (replace the water every three to six months to keep it fresh)

• Extra leashes, harnesses, and collars with an ID tag, and keep your microchip

Exotic pets cannot be left behind alone to fend for themselves, nor can they be released! For the safety of all concerned, if the exotic pets are dangerous or lethal, the owner is ultimately responsible for the safety of individuals and communities if the pet gets loose. It is your responsibility to guarantee the safe transportation or housing of exotic pets when preparing for a disaster. If you are fleeing from a disaster such as a hurricane, flood, wildfire, or tornado outbreak and you can’t take your exotic pet with you or are unable to house them elsewhere, then make the ultimate sacrifice and humanely euthanize your pets. This will spare them emotional and physical trauma, and possibly protect your neighbors, emergency responders, and the neighborhood ecology following a disaster.

Be prepared to take your exotic pets completely out of the disaster area. So, it is best to leave before a forced evacuation is declared. Know your community’s evacuation plan and establish your escape route ahead of time. Plan to travel on alternate routes in case roads are blocked due to accidents or heavy traffic. You cannot be certain that electrical power and cell towers will be working during any disaster, so bring a paper map. Keep your car fueled and in good repair. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to keep a change of protective clothes in the car, such as jeans, a long sleeve shirt, closed shoes, and gloves in case you need them along the way.

Figure 2. Photo of white-faced capuchin monkey by Stephen G. Johnson, Wikipedia.

Figure 3. Animal rescue volunteer Shirley Minshew with pet carriers from FEMA Photo Library.

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How to Develop a Disaster Management Plan for Exotic Pets 3

is damaged they will still be safely kept within the cages. The objective here is to make sure they cannot escape, even if injured, to run away and roam the neighborhood. If they get loose, then they could endanger emergency responders, neighbors, and local wildlife. Be sure to supply each cage with adequate food and water supplies for approximately twice as long as you plan to be sheltering away from the animals.

Do not overcrowd your exotic pets. If having your exotic pets in your shelter with you results in overcrowding conditions, you are only endangering yourself, your family, and your pets. Keep pets caged at all times. Take them out one at a time to exercise them if you are sheltering for an extended period of time. If you have your exotic pets in a separate, secure location, get to them as soon as it is safe to exercise them one at a time on a leash in an area that you have determined is safe. Remember, they will be nervous and you will need to be on guard at all times. If the cage permits, leave the animals enough room to

information up-to-date. Include an out-of-disaster area phone number as a contact number.

• Favorite toys, treats, and blanket for each pet to entertain and calm your pet(s).

• Paper towels, odor neutralizer (spray bottle for easy use), and zip-type plastic bags to clean up any accidents your pet may have while traveling or at your destination.

• A pet first-aid kit that includes roll bandages, gauze pads, antibiotic first-aid cream for minor wounds, hydrogen peroxide for scratches, cotton balls for cleaning, small scissors, and tweezers.

• Flashlight and fresh batteries (trade these out every six months to make sure you keep fresh ones in your disaster evacuation kit).

• Sanitary wipes to clean bowls, hands, etc.• Potty training pads• Face cloth• Emergency cash for necessary purchases

since credit cards may not work if there is a power outage or phones are jammed.

Make plans to assist your exotic pets that remain in danger during a disaster without placing you or your family in danger. As an exotic pet owner you may not be able to completely remove yourself and/or your family and pets out of harm’s way due to the nature of a disaster or your own limitations. Therefore, you and your pets may have to remain in danger during a disaster. Getting all your exotic pets into your emergency shelter may be difficult and should be practiced before an emergency arises in order to get everyone familiar with the process. Don’t let the actual emergency be the first time you’ve tried getting everybody into the shelter. Make sure your animals have been in there previously and are comfortable getting into and remaining in the shelter. Store packages or treats in the shelter for each pet to hand out when everyone is safe, which may help to keep them calm. Also, talk in a calm voice and act in a calm demeanor to lessen fears. You might even consider playing soft music.

Lock large pets in a sturdy enclosure such as a barn that should already be set up with cages that are familiar to them. Be sure to lock them in the cages too. That way, if the barn

Figure 4. Photo of albino reticulated python by Keith Pomakis, Wikipedia.

Figure 5. Photo of male lion by alice10, Morguefile.com.

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Jean Hall Dwyer, MS, Extension Communications Specialist, EDEN Point of Contact, Alabama A&M University

For more information, call your county Extension office. Look in your telephone directory under your county’s name to find the number.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Everyone is welcome!

New October 2016; UNP-2109© 2016 by Alabama Cooperative Extension System. All rights reserved.

UNP-2109

move around. Do not remove them from their cages to exercise until everything has settled down.

If you need to shelter in place with your pets for an extended time, the food and water supplies that you have packed in your pet disaster evacuation kit can be used to help make that stay at home safe and secure. Be sure that you have your own emergency supplies of food, water, flashlights, etc. For a complete list, please see Ready.gov’s basic disaster supplies kit at http://www.ready.gov/kit.

Make plans to get your exotic pets back to normal behavior patterns as soon as possible after a disaster. Be diligent about keeping your exotic pets indoors during the emergency and securing them during the clean-up period afterward. They will be traumatized as will you and they will pick up on your anxiety level. Therefore, the possibility of them bolting out a door or other opening is increased. Once the immediate danger has passed, be sure to keep exotic pets on a tight leash. Walk them carefully in daylight so you can see well enough to avoid injury to their paws from dangerous debris. Do NOT let exotic pets run loose even in a fenced in yard or pen where they have previously been accustomed to having freedom, until you are certain the area is free of nails, glass, and other debris and that the enclosure is completely secure. They may still be easily startled and be driven to escape if frightened. It is better to restrict their movement until things calm down.

Conclusion

Caring for an exotic pet is a risky endeavor even during a disaster. Disaster plans for your exotic pets are critical to minimize risks to you, your family, and your immediate community, including disaster response teams. And, if you are fleeing from a disaster such as a hurricane, flood, wildfire, or tornado outbreak and can’t take your exotic pet with you or find an approved sanctuary that will take them, then you must make the ultimate sacrifice to humanely euthanize your pet in order to spare it the emotional and physical trauma, and to protect your neighbors, emergency responders, and the neighborhood ecology after the disaster.

References

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®. (2016). Adoption tips. Adopt a pet. Retrieved from http://www.aspca.org/adopt/adoption-tips/.

Henn, C. (2016, January 1). 3 ridiculous reasons people give for keeping exotic animals as pets. Retrieved from http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/ridiculous-reasons- people-give-for-keeping-exotic-animals-as-pets/.

Hooper, B. (2016, April 22). Police seek owner of loose tiger found wandering Texas city. Retrieved from http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2016/04/22/Police-seek-owner-of-loose- tiger-found-wandering-Texas-city/.

Slater, L. (2014, April). Exotic pets: Wild obsession. Retrieved from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/04/exotic-pets/slater-text.

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