PETA Offers Urgent Tips on Safeguarding Animals During Tornado Alerts

Dog’s Pen Ripped From Ground This Week in N.C., Dogs Endangered if Left Outside to Fend for Themselves

For Immediate Release:
April 28, 2014

Contact:
Lisa Hines 202-483-7382

St. Louis, MO; Jackson, MS; and Des Moines, IA –

With emergency tornado alerts posted for your area, PETA is offering important advice to help ensure the safety of companion animals should tornadoes hit. Please alert your audience to the following information, which could help save the lives of cats, dogs, rabbits and other companion animals who need to be included in tornado and other disaster-preparation plans:

Bring animals inside. Never leave them chained or penned up outside. If you seek safety within your residence, include any rabbits, dogs or cats, or other animals who can be brought indoors. Dogs have been sucked into the air, doghouse and all, during tornadoes.
If you need to move to a stronger structure, know your destination ahead of time. Although emergency shelters sometimes turn away animals, motels in the area are likely to accept dogs, cats, and other small animals in an emergency. Do not plan to leave animals unsupervised in a car—they can suffer from heatstroke once the ambient temperature rises above 70 degrees, even if water is available and the windows are slightly open, or the car may be overturned or crushed during a significant storm.
Move small animals in secure carriers, and keep dogs leashed. Frightening sounds and unfamiliar surroundings may make them bolt. Take water and food bowls, a favorite toy, a blanket, a towel, and enough food for at least a week.
Have your animals microchipped, and put secure, legible ID tags on them.
Watch for other animals in need, including strays and animals who may have been left behind by neighbors. If you see an animal in distress and are unable to help, note the animal’s location and call authorities for help immediately.

For TV: For additional disaster-preparedness tips and to view or request a copy of PETA’s public service announcement (PSA), please click here. The PSA features Greg Cook, whose home was leveled by a tornadobut whose dog, Coco, survived. Many less-fortunate animals die in natural disasters if people have not planned ahead. Greg discusses how people can protect their animal companions. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

For Print: Please visit PETA.org for additional disaster-preparedness tips, or click here to view or link to PETA’s disaster-preparedness public service announcement.