LA-SPCA Seeks Volunteers For NOLA Pet Evacuations


Louisiana SPCA
701 Thayer Street  /  New Orleans, LA 70114
504-368-5191, fax: 504-368-3710
LA-SPCA Volunteers: Ginger@la-spca.org
504-368-5191, ext. 142
LA-SPCA Volunteer Form

Laura Maloney, LA-SPCA  ~  The City of New Orleans plans to evacuate pets with their people. We've worked closely with state/federal officials to offer guidance in development, procurement of resources, and practice drills.

LA-SPCA Seeks Volunteers
Volunteers are needed to help residents with their pets at 13 pick-up points in the city. Volunteers are also sought to assist at two staging locations.

To Apply: Review job description and qualifications below. If you qualify (or will by June 15), email our application to ginger@la-spca.org or fax to 504-368-3710 by June 10.


Volunteer Qualifications
  1. Successful completion of IS-100/IS-200 Intro to IC and NIMS-200 courses by July 15, 2006. FEMA coursework and exams are online in FEMA's Independent Study Program.

  2. LA-SPCA volunteer orientation.

  3. Basic animal handling experience.

  4. Work well with others of diverse backgrounds and education levels.

  5. Demonstrate natural leadership ability.

  6. Show levelheadedness. You must be able to work in chaotic crowds.

  7. Ability to follow direction and procedures.

  8. Ability to maintain composure under pressure.

  9. Personal evacuation plan in place.

  10. Provide proof of a tetanus vaccination.

  11. Show proof of age. Minimum age is 18.

Volunteers must vacate the City of New Orleans after tasks are completed. Credentials expire the day disaster strikes and do not allow re-entry.


Volunteer Orientation
    LA-SPCA offers volunteer orientation on:
    • Saturday, June 17 from 9:00am-12:00pm
    • Sunday, June 18 from 9:00am-12:00pm
    • Sunday, June 25 from 9:00am-12:00pm

    Orientations, limited to 30 people, are at:
    Louisiana SPCA
    701 Thayer Street, New Orleans.

    Pre-registration is required.
    Email: ginger@la-spca.org
    Call: 504-368-5191, ext. 142

    Orientation covers basic introduction to:
    ~ Process/plan review
    ~ Reading animal behavior
    ~ Basic equipment and handling
    ~ Animal handling practice
    ~ Dealing with aggressive animals


Volunteer Assignments
Pet Evacuation Aide: Pick-up Sites

    Reports To: Evac Emergency Coordinator
    Summary: Assist residents with pets who require New Orleans city-assisted evacuation process. LA-SPCA directs volunteers.

    Job Duties:
    • Greet people arriving with pets.
    • Provide soft-sided carriers to people with small dogs or cats who arrive with no carrier.
    • Provide muzzles to residents with dogs too large for soft-sided carriers.
    • Ensure pets are restrained to board bus.
    • Maintain radio contact with bus drivers to advise number of people with pets.
    • Maintain radio contact with LA-SPCA evac supervisor, respond as requested.
    • Identify potential problem animals.
    • Assist bus driver in seating people with pets.
    • Maintain order, as possible.
    • Demobilize at the end of the evacuation process and/or as requested by LA-SPCA.
    • Safely evacuate yourself from danger zone.
    • Other duties as assigned.

Pet Evacuation Aide: Staging Area
    Reports To: Evac Emergency Coordinator
    Summary: Assist residents with pets who require New Orleans city-assisted evacuation process. LA-SPCA directs volunteers.

    Job Duties:
    • Label carriers and items pre-storm.
    • Provide guidance to residents with pets who arrive at one of main staging areas.
    • Greet people arriving with pets.
    • Ensure all pets are safely loaded in carriers.
    • [Guardians] should handle their own animals. Volunteers assist if problems arise.
    • Provide soft-sided carriers to people with small dogs or cats who arrive with no carrier.
    • Provide muzzles to residents with dogs too large for soft-sided carriers.
    • Ensure pets are restrained to load bus.
    • Assist city employees/military in barcoding process for pet identification.
    • Identify potential problem animals. Notify lead LA-SPCA staff person.
    • Assist in loading of busses with pets.
    • Help determine which pets can ride on [guardian] laps or must ride separately.
    • Demobilize at the end of the evacuation process and/or as requested by LA-SPCA.
    • Safely evacuate yourself from danger zone.
    • Other duties as assigned.
Need Volunteers!
With Alberto's landfall some 50 miles southeast of Tallahasse, FL, hurricane season is here! About 20,000 people have evacuated and animal teams are on alert. Luckily we have Capt. Ron (of Humane Law Enforcement-Florida, Disaster Response) on the FL front. We need to step up procedures for vulnerable Gulf Coast states such as Louisiana. LA-SPCA is currently working to fill in the gaps with state and federal officials. But they need your help.

Volunteers are sought now for NOLA's pet evacuation plan. We had posted this alert earlier, but response has been poor. If you can help, or can cross-post to other lists, please do so.

Don't Contact Kinship Circle This is not our program.
To Volunteer, Contact:
Laura Maloney, Laura@la-spca.org
ginger@la-spca.org, 504-368-5191, ext. 142

Alberto Hits 50 Miles SE Of Tallahassee, FL

6/13/06 Capt. Ron  ~  The center of Tropical Storm Alberto has made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida near Adams Beach… About 50 miles southeast of Tallahassee, Florida… Around 12:30pm EDT

Alberto Report At 11am Tues 06/13/06  ~  So far an estimated 20,000 people are evacuated. Below is Florida EOC activities report. Note reference to ESF 17, the animal function. SART teams are activated.

  1. Evacuation: Several counties have issued evacuation orders.

  2. Sheltering: There are 27 shelters open in 14 counties with 12 Special Needs Shelters. 8 counties with shelters on standby.

  3. School/Government Closings: Citrus, Pasco, Hillsborough, Levy, Union, Alachua, Gilchrist, Taylor and Wakulla Counties at this time.

  4. Power Outages: No power for 16,461 customers (at 0800 hrs).

State EOC is activated at Level 1 (fully staffed) and is operational daily.

SERT Operations Support:
  • Receive, verify and task resource requests to appropriate branches.

  • Track resource requests to ensure timely response/updates.

  • Refer to Groove or Tracker message #48 for SERT Liaison roster.

  • Barge stuck under Howard Franklin Bridge I275/SR93 in Hillsborough/Pinellas. Southbound lane open. USCG removing. Alt bridges via SR60 & SR92.

  • 5 ground recon and 2 aircraft for recon are ready.

  • 2 fuel tenders deployed, one enroute. 7 more available.

  • Assessing storm impact to power grids, flood control systems, roads and communications. 16,461 customer without power. Monitoring storm progress.

  • 16 standby shelters, 27 open.

  • ARC reports Disaster Response Teams and Shelter Management on standby for more shelter openings. Hotlines activated.

  • Uploading truckloads of ice and water from state storage locations.

  • LSA team mobilized on standby.

  • USDA inventory received.

  • Communicating with support agencies on resource needs.

  • Conducting conference calls with volunteer centers.

  • Preparing information on volunteer safety for distribution.

  • Voluntary agencies mobile feeding teams placed on stand-by (VOAD).

  • Animal movement restrictions suspended to expedite evacuation. ESF 17 Incident Management Team activated on standby.

Escambia County Animal Control may have to evacuate animals. Leon County AC will send trucks if needed. This report may be of value to rescue in other states that hopefully have animal response plans underway.

Capt. Ron, 1-800-U.S.Stray, Pets911
Humane Law Enforcement-Florida
Disaster Response Teams and Computerized Lost/Found Records

Katrina Resources