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Hurricane Season Begins
June 1
Do you have a protocol to evacuate your reptiles and amphibians
if you have to leave your home during a case of emergency? If
not, we strongly urge you to utilize the following recommendations
to design a plan in case of a hurricane or similar emergency evacuation.
- Housing - Find 2-3 different places at locations that would accessible to you and your animals in the case of an evacuation.
Consider that hotel rooms in the entire region are quickly booked during mass evacuations, so planning on staying
with family and friends that live outside of the potential danger zone should always receive priority. Be sure to check
that bringing your animals would not pose any problems to your potential hosts.
- Temporary Setups - Many reptiles and amphibians are able to survive prolonged periods of time in small, appropriately
modified plastic containers. This fact can be utilized during an emergency evacuation by stocking an appropriate number
of accordingly prepared containers that can serve as temporary setups to your animals during an evacuation.
- Food - For those animals that require frequent feedings, stock enough food to last for several days, if possible.
Several gallons of drinking water should also always be at hand.
- Logistics - Prepare several different travel routes to each of your potential destinations to avoid facing the very
situation you evacuated for while being stuck in traffic. Using information from past evacuations may aid in finding
suitable routes. Call State Police to check on traffic updates before your departure.
- Transportation - Stock enough bags, containers, pet carriers and other suitable items that you will be able to
use to transport all of your animals. Items that are usually plentiful and readily available can suddenly become
difficult to acquire during or immediately before an emergency situation.
- Records - Make records of your animals, such as lists and photographs, which can be used for identification
purposes if the need arises. Consider microchips as an option for especially valuable or otherwise important animals.
- Time - Plan ahead to see how much time your evacuation protocol would take. Keep in mind that you will also spend
significant amounts of time packing up your other belongings during an emergency situation, which may substantially
prolong the process of getting to safety.
- Checklist - Make a checklist of everything that you will need to do in the case of an emergency. Urgency will often
cause people to forget things that they otherwise would always remember.
PLEASE DON’T WAIT UNTIL
THE LAST MINUTE
PREPARE NOW!!
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