6 COMMUNITY ANIMAL WELFARE FOOTPRINTS
>>> Contingency planning: A guide to good practice
A written policy and encouraging residents to
be prepared
The starting point is a clear and effective policy that
covers animals and animal welfare. Depending on the
circumstances, the policy may not need to be very
detailed or complex, however it should ensure that
provision could be made for the welfare of people's
pets and/or livestock in a range of situations. Whether
you are considering a power station in your area, or
a fire, explosion or flood, the RSPCA believes that
animals should be considered as part of the
contingency planning process in all situations.
The basics
In all written policies the key question is how to address what
is needed, from an animal welfare perspective, and what is
practical. Furthermore, it is important and helpful to planners
if those with pets or livestock are themselves prepared for a
range of emergency situations. Therefore, a key action is to
ensure guidance is provided for residents in the area
explaining how to respond, and how to prepare, should the
need to evacuate arise.
The following information should be included as part of a
basic policy:
Locations identified as temporary animal shelters
The policy should consider and identify locations that can be
used as potential venues suitable for the housing of animals
should the need to evacuate arise. Different places and sites
will have different facilities and it is important these are fully
considered and assessed prior to an emergency situation, so
that the evacuation of people and animals can be commenced
swiftly, safely and effectively. These sites should ensure that
the welfare needs of animals are met as defined by Section 9
of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. It should be noted that
anyone in charge of such a site during an evacuation must take
reasonable steps to ensure the welfare needs of the animals in
their care are met, as the legislation applies to anyone who is
in charge of an animal, even on a temporary basis. The five
welfare needs are:
• a suitable environment
• a suitable diet
• the ability to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
• to be housed with or apart from other animals,
as appropriate
• to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
There are Codes of Practice produced by the Welsh
Government and Defra for some animal species that provide
more detailed information and practical guidance on what
the welfare needs mean. There is not one, precise way to meet
the welfare needs of animals as different animals even within
the same species will have slightly differing needs, for
example, older or younger animals, those on medication or
those with thick or short coats. Therefore it is important to
ensure that there is provision for some flexibility, and that it is
possible to keep some species in separate areas, for example
dogs and cats. Owners should be asked to, wherever possible,
bring their pet's food with them - especially if they are on a
special diet.
There are many considerations when setting up a rest centre,
and provision for people's companion animals on site is an
important one. Not all companion animals will be suitable for
evacuation, or would necessarily need to be evacuated if their
welfare needs can be met and the initial period of evacuation
is under 48 hours. One example would be fish. However some
animals will need to be evacuated with their owners.
A CONTINGENCY PLANNING POLICY
RSPCA