What would happen to hundreds of thousands of pets if Baltimore was evacuated in a disaster?
The animals left behind in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast region prompted a call for animal emergency preparedness plans. The Humane Society of the United States has been encouraging states and counties to establish responses.
Now the Baltimore City Health Department is seeking volunteers to help develop a local plan and a City Animal Response Team.
Volunteers are needed to help with logistics, such as how many cages are needed and where the pets will go, as well as taking care of the animals during a disaster.
“It’s going to be an ongoing process,” Animal Control Director Bob Anderson said of training volunteers and crafting a plan.
Officials will work out agreements with area shelters and facilities to house pets during a disaster, he added.
People interested in volunteering for the team should contact Alexis Mitchell at [email protected] or call 311.
