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Agencies mobilize to protect pets during storm
By ERIC STIRGUS © St. Petersburg Times, published September 25, 1998 The 1992 storm killed thousands of animals in South Florida, prompting Pinellas animal advocates to come up with a plan to care for pets if a natural disaster hits. So as last-minute preparations were being made Thursday for Hurricane Georges, Lockwood, executive director of the county's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said she was confident that the group and other animal protection agencies in Pinellas were ready for the storm. "We've been preparing since Andrew," Lockwood said Thursday afternoon. "We've secured well for our animals so we're prepared to go out there after the storm hits." State lawmakers passed a measure last year including animal protection among emergency services. State officials have been working with local agencies to coordinate emergency strategy and provide disaster training for volunteers. There are about 160,000 pets registered with the county. Shelters have been set up, volunteers are ready and foster homes are also available for people with special needs who cannot care for their pets, Lockwood said. Lockwood said the foster homes are vital because most shelters are near capacity and cannot handle a large number of pets. Lockwood and others are hoping animal owners will take their pets to a friend's home who lives on higher ground. "We should not be a convenience," said Rick Chaboudy, director of the Humane Society of North Pinellas. "We should be an emergency only." Nonetheless, advocates have rented generators, vans and other equipment to prepare themselves for those who they know will arrive at the last minute looking for shelter for their pets. "It's going to be a long weekend," Chaboudy said. The county also opened Brooker Creek Preserve on Thursday afternoon to let people drop off their horses. Walsingham Park in Seminole also will be available today as a location to allow horses to run free during the storm. Some area horse stables are boarding up the windows around their stalls and will put their horses inside with lots of hay and water for the storm. "I'm going to keep things as calm as possible and see how they handle it," said Meg Janind, owner and operator of a training stable on Whitney Road. Across the county, caretakers used conventional and unconventional techniques to prepare for Georges. At Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, director Ralph Heath was moving the older pelicans and cormorants to a warehouse. Meanwhile, at Seminole Vo-Ed Center's tour farm, agricultural docent Vickie Nichols was turning feed sack covers into makeshift tarps, stapling them to the outside of animal cages for their rabbits, chickens and other animals. But Nichols said she had other worries. "I live in a mobile home," she said. "I am scared to death." Other animal facilities said they would also ride out the storm with their pets. At the Chimp Farm on Alt. U.S. 19, water has been gathered in large plastic drums for animals to drink. The farm also ordered two weeks of food. "We just stay with them and make them know they're safe because mom and dad's there," said caretaker Bert Fletcher.
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eth Lockwood has been preparing for this day for six years, thanks to Hurricane Andrew.
