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Public shelters do not accept pets, so if you are planning to evacuate during a storm, you must
plan in advance where your pets will go. Do not leave pets home alone. It could be days or weeks
before you return and your pets could starve to death, or flooding could cause needless drowning
deaths.
There are pet friendly hotels and motels where the entire family can stay, and pet shelters are
located throughout the county. Put your pet into a carrier as soon as possible when you are
preparing to leave, as this will reduce stress and keep them from getting lost.
All animals brought to a pet shelter are required to have:
- Proper ID collar and rabies tag
- Proper ID on all belongings
- Carrier or cage
- Leash
- Ample food supply (at least two days)
- Water/food bowls
- Any necessary medication(s)
- Specific care instructions (i.e., medication, diet, etc.)
- Newspapers, plastic trash bags for handling waste
Pet shelters will require proof that dogs have been vaccinated during the past 12 months. All pets
brought to a pet evacuation center should have a proper identification collar with leash, a
properly-sized plastic or wooden carrier that allows your pet to stand and turn around, ample food
supply (for at least two days) with water and food bowls, any necessary medication(s), specific
instructions for medication or diet, plus newspapers and plastic trash bags for handling waste.
Large animals also need to be considered in your plans. Know if you are located in a storm surge
area and make plans to move animals to a safe area close to home. Remember livestock trailers are
unstable in high winds and traffic will be moving very slowly on evacuation routes. Leave early!
Even if you are not in an area subject to flooding you may want to consider evacuating horses if
they are maintained in stables or small pastures, as they will be unable to avoid debris and
collapsing buildings. The safest place for large animals to weather a storm is in a large pasture.
For more information on how to locate a pet shelter:
Please note that by choosing one of the links below you will be leaving the Hillsborough County
Website. These sites are not maintained by Hillsborough County and the County has no
responsibility for the content of these sites.
- Call the Hillsborough County Animal Health Foundation at 221-4804 or visit their web site at
http://www.HAHF.org. Or to have a listing of boarding facilities found within Hillsborough County that are
not in the flood zones mailed to you, send a stamped self-addressed envelope requesting a copy of a
brochure entitled "Hurricane Preparation for Your Pet" to:
Hillsborough County Animal Health Foundation
P.O. Box 9431
Tampa, FL. 33674
- For information on disaster preparations for large animal owners and a searchable Emergency Evacuation
Resource List please visit the Sunshine State Horse Council's website located at:
http://sshc.org/evac/disaster.htm.
- For a list of guidelines for large animal hurricane preparations, please refer to the brochure,
"Hillsborough County Hurricane Guidelines for Large Animals." This brochure can be obtained by contacting
the Cooperative Extension Service at (813)744-5519.
- For a listing of some hotels that will accept pets during an emergency, please visit PetsWelcome.com's
site at
http://www.petswelcome.com/milkbone/framelist.html.
- For more information on disaster preparedness, there is: the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA)'s Web site at www.fema.gov and the Florida Animal Disaster Planning Advisory Committee (ADPAC)'s
Web site at www.fl-adpac.org.
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IF YOU HAVE LOST A PET, VISIT THE FOLLOWING . . .
Hillsborough County Animal Services
440 Falkenburg Rd.
Tampa, FL 33619
(813) 744-5660
and
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay
3607 N. Armenia Ave.
Tampa, FL 33607
(813) 876-7138
More information at Hillsborough County Animal Services: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
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