Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 19, 2008 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. -7ck <br />SUBJECT: Animal Co-Location at Emergency Human Shelters <br />DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services and PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />Animal Services <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Pet Friendly Shelters Presentation <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Bob Marotto, Animal Services <br />968-2287 <br />Clint Osborn, Emergency Services <br />968-2050 <br />PURPOSE: To update the Board on initial discussions surrounding the possibility of building the <br />capability to open and manage pet co-location points at emergency shelters in Orange County <br />and seek feedback and direction from the Board. <br />BACKGROUND: Pet co-located shelters are emergency shelters that allow humans to stay in <br />one portion of an emergency shelter and for companion animals to stay in a completely <br />separate location at the same facility. Animals are not allowed in the human areas (with the <br />exception of some service animals), but pet owners are able to and usually responsible for <br />caring for their dogs and cats and other allowed small animals. As a result of the proximity of <br />pet and pet owner, less staff time is required for animal care although staff remain critical to <br />establishing and coordinating co-located animal care. <br />Pet co-location represents a departure from past practice in Orange County and elsewhere. <br />Under the current practice, animals are separated from their. owners and taken into the care of <br />the Animal Services staff upon arrival at the emergency shelter. Animals are then safely <br />boarded and cared for throughout the emergency at the Animal Services Shelter. While many <br />areas still employ this method, there is growing evidence that a co-location model is preferable. <br />Co-location benefits are believed to be numerous on the basis of recent national experiences <br />with such a sheltering configuration. They include increased shelter use by pet owners, <br />improved shelter experience for evacuees, and improved outcomes for pets that might <br />otherwise be abandoned during an emergency. Generally, pet co-located shelters are open to <br />dogs and cats with rabies and other critical vaccinations and small caged mammals and birds; <br />however, for reasons of human health and safety, they are not open to reptiles or to exotic or <br />large animals. <br />At the request of the County Manager, staff from Orange County Animal Services and <br />Emergency Services initiated discussion of animal co-location at their facilities as part of