Animal Shelter Evacuation Planning Guide

Evacuation Is a Process, Not Just a Destination

A shelter evacuation plan should cover the entire movement of animals — from deciding to leave through safely returning or relocating them.

Pet Safe SOP uses this simple planning framework:

DECIDE → DESTINATION → TRANSPORT → TRACK → MOVE → CONFIRM → RETURN

1. DECIDE→
2. DESTINATION→
3. TRANSPORT→
4. TRACK→
5. MOVE→
6. CONFIRM→
7. RETURN

This is a Pet Safe SOP planning framework, not a government emergency-management acronym or regulatory standard.

Decide: Who Has Authority to Evacuate?

An evacuation decision should not begin with staff trying to determine who is allowed to make it.

The shelter's emergency plan should identify who has authority to order an evacuation and who assumes that authority if the primary decision-maker cannot be reached.

Planning questions should include:

• Who can activate the shelter's emergency plan?
• Who can order evacuation?
• Who is the backup decision-maker?
• How will staff be notified?
• Who contacts receiving facilities?
• Who coordinates transportation?
• Who communicates with local emergency management?
• Who communicates with employees, volunteers, fosters and the public?

Evacuation vs. Shelter-in-Place

Not every emergency requires evacuation, and evacuation itself can introduce risk.

A shelter may need to compare the risks of remaining at the facility with the risks of moving animals.

Factors may include:

• official evacuation orders;
• structural safety;
• flood or storm-surge risk;
• wildfire or smoke conditions;
• hazardous materials;
• utility failure;
• fire or building damage;
• road conditions;
• transportation availability;
• receiving-site availability;
• animal medical needs;
• staffing; and
• how long the facility can safely maintain animal care.

Official evacuation orders and life-safety instructions take priority over the shelter's normal planning process.

Destination: Know Where the Animals Can Go

Writing the name of another shelter in an emergency plan is not enough.

A receiving destination should be evaluated before it is needed.

For each potential destination, know:

• organization or facility name;
• primary contact;
• backup contact;
• phone and alternate communication method;
• physical address;
• species accepted;
• approximate capacity;
• medical capabilities;
• isolation capabilities;
• behavioral or handling restrictions;
• whether staff must accompany animals;
• what supplies the sending shelter must provide;
• how activation will be confirmed; and
• what happens if that destination becomes unavailable.

Create Agreements Before the Emergency

Evacuation works better when both organizations understand what is expected before animals arrive.

Planning discussions with receiving organizations may address:

• who can activate the agreement;
• how much capacity may be available;
• which species can be accepted;
• medical and isolation capabilities;
• animal identification and tracking;
• veterinary responsibility;
• medications;
• food and supplies;
• staffing;
• transportation;
• financial responsibility where applicable;
• length of stay;
• communication during the event;
• reunification or return; and
• biosecurity.

Formal agreements may be appropriate depending on the organizations and circumstances.

Pet Safe SOP does not prescribe a particular legal agreement. Organizations should determine what documentation is appropriate for them and seek legal or regulatory guidance where necessary.

Know Who You May Need to Move

Transportation planning should be based on the animals actually housed by the organization.

Shelters should be able to determine:

• current dog population;
• current cat population;
• other species;
• animals in isolation;
• animals receiving medical treatment;
• animals requiring medication;
• neonatal animals;
• nursing mothers and litters;
• animals with significant behavioral handling needs;
• animals requiring specialized containment;
• animals already in foster care;
• animals housed at another location; and
• animals that may be moved through transfer, rescue placement or emergency foster before evacuation becomes necessary.

Population reduction before an evacuation may reduce the number of animals that must be moved during deteriorating conditions. See Emergency Foster and Population Reduction in the Hurricane Preparedness Guide.

Animals Requiring Additional Evacuation Planning

Some animals may affect the evacuation timeline, destination, vehicle choice, staffing or loading process.

Consider additional planning for:

• neonatal kittens and puppies;
• nursing mothers and litters;
• medically fragile animals;
• animals requiring frequent medication;
• animals requiring refrigerated medication;
• animals requiring oxygen or other medical support;
• animals with mobility limitations;
• infectious or isolation animals;
• animals with significant behavioral or handling needs;
• very large dogs;
• animals requiring specialized containment;
• exotic or nontraditional species where applicable; and
• any animal that cannot safely travel through the standard evacuation process.

Transport: Calculate What It Takes to Move the Population

The question is not simply whether the shelter owns a vehicle.

The shelter needs to know whether its available vehicles, drivers and equipment can safely move the population that may need evacuation.

For each vehicle, consider:

• vehicle type;
• usable animal capacity;
• species that can be transported;
• climate control or ventilation;
• fuel;
• driver;
• backup driver;
• crate/carrier capacity;
• loading limitations;
• accessibility;
• towing requirements if applicable;
• maintenance status; and
• communication capability.

Vehicles, Drivers, Crates & Equipment

Before an emergency, confirm:

• Vehicles are operational.
• Fuel can be obtained.
• Appropriate drivers are identified.
• Backup drivers are available where possible.
• Drivers are authorized and qualified for the vehicles they will operate.
• Crates and carriers are available in appropriate sizes.
• Crates and carriers can be secured during transport.
• Leashes and animal-handling equipment are available.
• Loading equipment is available where needed.
• Climate and ventilation needs have been considered.
• Cleaning and disinfection supplies are available.
• Vehicle communication methods are known.
• A breakdown or disabled-vehicle plan exists.

If transportation depends on outside organizations, vendors or government resources, know how those resources are requested and whether availability is guaranteed.

Plan Primary and Alternate Routes

A destination is useful only if staff can reach it safely.

Document:

• primary route;
• alternate route;
• known flood-prone roads;
• bridges or low-lying areas of concern;
• roads that may close during the hazard;
• fuel locations where appropriate;
• rest or staging locations for long-distance movement; and
• how drivers will receive route changes.

Track: Account for Every Animal

Animal accountability should continue throughout the evacuation.

A simple operating principle is:

• Every animal leaves identified.
• Every animal has a destination.
• Every transfer is documented.
• Every arrival is confirmed.

Identification and tracking methods may include:

• shelter identification numbers;
• kennel cards;
• carrier labels;
• collars or tags where appropriate;
• microchips;
• paper manifests;
• electronic shelter records;
• photographs;
• transport-group lists; and
• receiving-site confirmation.

There is no single tracking method appropriate for every shelter, species or emergency.

Use a system that allows the organization to reliably answer:

Where is this animal right now, who has custody, and where is the animal supposed to go next?

Create Evacuation Groups Before Loading

Large populations may be easier to manage when animals are divided into planned evacuation groups.

Groups may be based on:

• destination;
• species;
• housing area;
• vehicle;
• medical needs;
• isolation status;
• handling requirements; or
• evacuation priority.

Actual evacuation groups should reflect the shelter's animals, destinations, vehicles, staffing and hazard.

Prepare an Evacuation Load-Out

Animals may need more than transportation.

Prepare for care during movement and at the receiving location.

Possible evacuation supplies include:

• Animal food
• Potable water
• Food and water bowls
• Medications
• Medication instructions
• Medical records
• Animal identification
• Transport manifests
• Crates and carriers
• Leashes and handling equipment
• Litter and litter pans
• Bedding and towels
• Cleaning and disinfection supplies
• Personal protective equipment
• Waste bags
• First-aid supplies
• Veterinary emergency supplies appropriate to the organization
• Chargers and battery banks
• Radios or backup communications
• Paper contact lists
• Paper copies or offline copies of essential records
• Flashlights
• Basic vehicle/emergency equipment

The appropriate load-out depends on species, trip duration, destination, medical needs and the emergency.

Maintain Biosecurity During Evacuation

Moving animals between facilities can increase disease-control challenges.

Biosecurity planning should begin before animals arrive at the receiving location.

Consider:

• which animals require isolation;
• whether receiving sites can separate populations;
• how infectious or exposed animals will travel;
• whether medical records travel with the animal;
• carrier and vehicle cleaning;
• disinfection procedures;
• PPE;
• hand hygiene;
• waste handling;
• shared equipment;
• food and water equipment;
• animal handling; and
• what happens if illness is identified during transport or after arrival.

Receiving organizations should know about relevant health, isolation and handling needs before animals arrive whenever circumstances allow.

Move: Loading and Departure

Loading is a high-risk period for animal escape, staff injury and tracking errors.

Before each transport vehicle leaves:

• Confirm the vehicle and driver.
• Confirm the destination.
• Confirm the route.
• Confirm the animal manifest.
• Verify animal identification.
• Verify carrier/crate security.
• Confirm medications and required records are traveling with the correct animals.
• Confirm special-care animals are appropriately supported.
• Confirm the receiving site knows the transport is coming.
• Confirm the driver has contact information.
• Record the departure.

Animal Care During Transport

Animals may experience heat, cold, stress, motion, noise and unfamiliar handling during evacuation.

Transport planning should consider:

• temperature and ventilation;
• travel duration;
• access to water;
• feeding needs;
• medications;
• veterinary needs;
• separation of incompatible animals;
• containment;
• animal behavior;
• rest or monitoring stops when appropriate and safe;
• vehicle failure; and
• communication with the receiving destination.

Animals should be monitored in a manner appropriate to the species, transport conditions and length of travel.

Confirm: Arrival and Accountability

The evacuation is not complete when the vehicle reaches the destination.

For every transport group:

• Confirm arrival.
• Reconcile the transport manifest.
• Confirm every animal.
• Document the receiving location.
• Document who accepted custody.
• Transfer medications and medical information.
• Communicate special-care needs.
• Report missing or unexpected animals immediately.
• Update the shelter's central tracking record.
• Confirm the sending shelter knows the transport is complete.

Protect Staff During Evacuation

Animal evacuation should not require staff to take unreasonable life-safety risks.

Staff should not be expected to:

• drive through floodwater;
• ignore road closures;
• remain in a structurally unsafe building;
• load animals during immediate life-threatening conditions when sheltering is safer;
• handle animals beyond their training;
• enter contaminated areas without appropriate protection; or
• disregard official evacuation or emergency instructions simply to complete shelter tasks.

Displaced and stressed animals may behave differently than usual.

Personnel handling animals should use appropriate restraint, containment and safety practices for the species and circumstances.

Maintain Communication During Evacuation

Determine how the shelter will communicate with:

• transport drivers;
• receiving locations;
• shelter leadership;
• staff;
• veterinarians;
• emergency management;
• animal control;
• rescue partners;
• fosters; and
• the public.

Prepare a backup communication method in case normal phone or internet service fails.

Each driver or transport team should know:

• who to contact;
• destination;
• route;
• what to do if the route closes;
• what to do if the vehicle breaks down;
• what to do if an animal becomes ill or escapes; and
• how to confirm arrival.

What If the Destination Becomes Unavailable?

Emergency conditions can change after an evacuation begins.

A receiving shelter may lose power, become inaccessible, reach capacity or be affected by the same hazard.

Plan for:

• alternate receiving locations;
• alternate contacts;
• rerouting transports;
• temporary staging;
• communication with drivers;
• animal accountability during route changes; and
• updating the central tracking record.

Return: Re-Entry and Bringing Animals Back

Animals should not automatically return simply because the immediate hazard has passed.

Before returning animals, evaluate whether the facility can safely support them.

Consider:

Where government officials, utility providers, building professionals or other authorities must clear a facility or area for use, follow those requirements before re-entry.

After the Evacuation

An evacuation provides information that cannot always be discovered during tabletop planning.

After operations stabilize, review:

• what triggered the evacuation;
• whether the decision was made early enough;
• whether receiving locations worked;
• whether transportation capacity was adequate;
• route problems;
• tracking problems;
• animal escapes or near misses;
• medical issues;
• communication failures;
• supply shortages;
• staffing problems;
• biosecurity concerns;
• vehicle problems;
• what worked well; and
• what should change before the next emergency.

Update the emergency plan when lessons learned reveal a better way to operate. For more on reviewing an emergency afterward, see the recovery section of the Hurricane Preparedness Guide.

25 Animal Shelter Evacuation Planning Questions

1. Who has authority to order an evacuation?
2. Who assumes that authority if the primary decision-maker cannot be reached?
3. What conditions could make our facility unsafe to occupy?
4. How will we know when waiting to evacuate could become more dangerous than leaving?
5. What is our primary receiving location?
6. Has that organization agreed to receive animals?
7. What is our alternate receiving location?
8. How much capacity can each receiving location realistically provide?
9. Which species and special-needs animals can each destination accept?
10. How many animals might we need to move?
11. Which animals require medical, neonatal, isolation, behavioral or specialized transportation planning?
12. How many appropriate vehicles are available?
13. Do we have enough qualified drivers?
14. Do we have enough crates, carriers and animal-handling equipment?
15. What is our primary evacuation route?
16. What is our alternate route?
17. How will we identify every animal?
18. How will we track each animal from departure through arrival?
19. What records and medications must travel with each animal?
20. What food, water and supplies must travel with the evacuation?
21. How will we maintain biosecurity while animals are moved and housed elsewhere?
22. How will transport teams communicate if normal phone or internet service fails?
23. What will we do if a vehicle breaks down or a route becomes unsafe?
24. What will we do if the planned receiving location becomes unavailable?
25. What must be checked before animals can safely return?

If several of these questions do not yet have clear answers, use them as starting points for strengthening the shelter's evacuation plan.

Reviewing your whole plan? The Disaster Preparedness Checklist and Animal Shelter Emergency Plan guides cover the rest of an emergency plan.