But pet owners should plan ahead, because they may be on their own.

01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, July 19, 2006

BY BRUCE LANDIS
Journal Staff Writer

Among the lasting images from Hurricane Katrina are those of New Orleans evacuees who had to choose between leaving their pets behind and their own safety.

Some Rhode Islanders could face that dilemma if they don't plan ahead, because, with few exceptions, the official emergency machinery is geared to protect people but not pets.

That's beginning to change. Some municipal governments, volunteer groups and Governor Carcieri's office are trying to build a parallel, pet-friendly shelter system. But it's unclear that any of those plans will be completed in time for the peak of the hurricane season over the next two months. Pet owners should plan ahead because they may be on their own.

"People need to take responsibility for their own animals and make sure that, if anything does go wrong, that the animals have a place to go," said Joyce Barton, volunteer coordinator of the Potter League for Animals, in Middletown.

"Plan now to evacuate your animals," said Dr. Chris Hannafin, the state veterinarian. "Include them in all of your hurricane planning."

The principal shelter operator, the state chapter of the American Red Cross, cannot, for a variety of health and safety reasons, allow pets in the shelters, said spokeswoman Angie Henderson Moncada.

Pet owners are urged to take the following steps now:

Collect supplies, including food, water, dishes, leashes, a pet carrier and/or folding cage, bedding and sanitary equipment.

Assemble medicines, vaccination information and a first-aid kit.

Arrange for identification, including ID tags, pictures showing distinguishing marks and ownership information, in case of separation. Some authorities suggest tattooing or micro-chipping -- placing an electronic chip, about the size of a grain of rice and carrying identification information, under the skin.

Have everything ready to go.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (www.aspca.org), the American Veterinary Medical Association (www.avma.org) and the Humane Society of the United States (www.hsus.org) all offer advice on how to prepare for emergencies affecting animals.

Official help is limited. There is a formal state Animal Disaster/Animal Care Plan approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, that addresses pets, farm and wild animals.

It falls under Hannafin's office at the Department of Environmental Management's Division of Agriculture and relies on a long list of animal-related groups and agencies. However, Hannafin said his office has a staff of one and a half veterinarians and two technicians and no budget for disasters.

Hannafin said the state has some agreements, which have expired, for pet accommodations, including one for use of Thayer Arena, the Warwick rink, which he expects local officials would agree to continue. The mayor's press secretary says Warwick would be agreeable.

Carcieri's communications director, Steve Kass, said he is organizing a network of pet shelters.

Jennifer Anderson said she and other volunteers are preparing to make the Chariho Career and Technical School in Richmond a temporary pet shelter to complement the shelter for humans at the nearby Chariho Middle School.

Anderson hopes to accommodate a menagerie -- dogs, cats, birds, snakes, reptiles and small animals such as ferrets. She is planning a training session for volunteers next month.

Providence has made arrangements with a kennel in Foster to care for pets belonging to people who must be evacuated to shelters, said Todd Manni, the city's homeland security liaison.

He said transportation would be provided for pets belonging to people who need to be taken to shelters by bus.

Kass said the University of Rhode Island's Peckham Farm will shelter pets to match URI's shelter at the Keaney Gym, according to President Robert Carothers. He said he hasn't asked the governor for money: "I don't dare."

In Westerly, Animal Control Officer Thomas J. Gulluscia and others have formed the group Stand Up For Animals to build a new city animal shelter that would be strong enough to withstand a hurricane and roomy enough to accommodate evacuated pets.

He said the group has raised most of the $1.9 million needed and expects to break ground in September.

Hannafin said that pet owners "should not expect that the local kennels and animal hospitals are going to shelter the pets," because hurricane season is also vacation time for many, and they are likely to be filled.

Hannafin guesses that there are 500,000 pets in the state, counting everything -- dogs, cats, birds, snakes, hamsters -- and about the same number of farm animals, again counting everything from cows to pigs to chickens and a few llamas.

blandis@projo.com / (401) 277-7487