Photo by Scott Dalton/AP Images for The HSUS Form follows function Even outside a disaster scenario, a well-crafted agreement can be the keystone of a successful transport relationship. At a Houston airport, first responders from various animal welfare organizations help load shelter animals for transport to New Jersey. But these sorts of agreements can play a role in day-to-day animal sheltering and rescue work as well, helping groups come together to work on a range of programs and projects. Thanks to such coordinated efforts, a national network of shelters and rescues was able to begin transporting shelter pets to safe areas, opening up space for owned pets in local animal facilities so their owners could easily reclaim them post-disaster. The agreements detailed what the HSUS team would do and how they would do it, including providing staff support for local animal agencies responding to calls for rescue and transporting animals out of the area. Varsa’s team quickly worked out agreements with various groups in areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Photo by Anthony Rathbun/AP Images for The HSUS Written agreements were key to rescue efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and helped ensure that partnering organizations were pulling in the same direction. Written agreements “are extremely important not only to define what your level of responsibility is they provide definition around what the need is and what the response will be,” says Sára Varsa, senior director of the HSUS animal rescue team. As floodwaters rose, organizations and agencies mobilized a massive coordinated response.Ī keystone to these efforts was having well-crafted written agreements between responding agencies and organizations in place, carefully defining the roles and responsibilities each partner would take on.
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They tested some of this knowledge when Hurricane Sandy struck in 2012, and then in late summer of this year, they met another terrible trial by water brought on by a series of hurricanes. Happily, emergency responders learned a lot from Hurricane Katrina. Sometimes it was hard to tell who was in charge of what, who had the authority to make decisions, or where animals had gone post-evacuation.
Animal welfare agencies across the country hustled to get animals to safety, but the scope of such a massive response made it difficult to coordinate efforts. Twelve years ago, Hurricane Katrina left chaos in its wake.
Put it in writing Good written agreements make for better relationships, in disasters and everyday shelter workĪnimal Sheltering magazine Winter 2017-2018 Photo by Anthony Rathbun/AP Images for The HSUS
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