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www.politicalanimal.org.uk/cawf
www.rspca.org.uk/cawf
Becky Mathews, Emergency Planning Assistant
Tel: 01344 351715
Email: becky.mathews@bracknell-forest gov.uk
Bracknell Forest Council
Informing residents
Bracknell Forest and other members of the Thames
Valley LRF have been gold Contingency Planning
Footprint award winners for the past few years. They
have worked hard to develop ways of recognising pets
and animals as part of the contingency planning process.
Bracknell Forest encourages their residents to prepare
for emergencies by promoting a variety of resources,
for example their booklet Are you ready?, produced by
Thames Valley LRF, which contains exercises and a list
of items to keep in a grab bag, including pet supplies.
Are you ready? encourages residents to consider
animals when planning for emergencies that may
affect their household, and suggests they consider
suitable 'emergency friends', who may be able to help
in a crisis. The document also reinforces messages
about not leaving pets in cars unattended on warm days.
Many local authorities have helpful websites that promote
the importance of preparedness and information on what
pet and livestock owners (commercial and noncommercial)
should do in the event of an emergency. In
many cases this is a checklist of essential items to ensure
the welfare of the animals.
Such lists often include, but are not limited to, food,
bedding and toys. They should, however, also encourage
residents to keep the vaccination records for their animals
in their emergency packs. These are important should the
emergency evacuation extend beyond temporary
accommodation, as in such circumstances animals may
need to be housed in a boarding establishment and many
of these require vaccination records. Additionally, the
RSPCA suggests that people living in a local authority area
should consider any friends or relatives they may have,
living outside a potential risk zone, who could look after
their pets until an emergency situation has passed.
Residents should be strongly encouraged to have their
pets microchipped. By so doing, and by ensuring the
information is kept up-to-date on the microchip database,
the likelihood of owners and pets being reunited if they
become separated in an emergency situation is increased.
From March 2015 and April 2016, in Wales and England
respectively, all dogs will be required to be microchipped.
Similarly, owners should ensure that dogs always wear a
collar and tag with their details on when in public.
Records of animals at different properties
In emergency situations it can be extremely beneficial for
local authorities to know what animals are kept in which
properties. Some local authorities and housing providers
keep records of the companion animals living at a
property. This is an effective way to be better prepared
for an emergency, especially for first responders, for
whom it would be useful to know if there are any animals
in the property before they enter.
The following list is not exhaustive, but identifies some
areas to consider when establishing a rest centre that
includes pets:
• available space - some species need to be housed
separately, particularly predator and prey species,
to avoid fear and distress
• outside space for dog toileting
• availability of fresh, clean water
• availability of food (and space to prepare it
where necessary)
• management of interactions between people and
animals to ensure all remain safe and well.
Information for pet owners, or links to a website
that promotes preparedness
Animals rely on people to keep them safe and to provide
for their welfare. This is particularly important in
emergency situations: like some people many animals will
be frightened during an emergency, being able to be with
their owners will reassure them and help keep them calm.
Likewise, their owners may be more calm and compliant
with advice if they can remain with their pet.
© Cavendish Press