4.12 Special Needs – Pets
Residents who evacuated left behind their pets. When it was determined that the evacuees would be away from their homes for days, a plan was instituted to reunite people with their pets within 2 days of the incident. The Aiken County Animal Control Department called on other animal control departments to assist in entering the affected zone and retrieving the pets. To accomplish this, the evacuees had to contact animal control and provide information on their pet and keys to their home. With this information, animal control retrieved the pets and took them to a local high school. Pet owners had to make an appointment to pick up their pets. More than 287 pets were reunited with their owners.
Prior to the development of the plan, the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office and Aiken County Animal Control placed food and water on the streets for the pets. Animals were seen eating and drinking at these locations.
February 6, 2006
Publication #FHWA-HOP-08-014
