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NEWS
Strain Unveils Mobile Pet Shelter
August 27, 2015
Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain
Mobile pet shelter
Baton Rouge, La. (August 27, 2015) – Today, a mobile pet shelter to assist in transporting and sheltering household pets during declared emergencies was unveiled at Lamar Dixon in Gonzales.
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) is designated by the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act to perform this duty.
The LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., said, “The purpose of immediate onsite sheltering with the mobile pet shelter is to provide safe transport of pets and have the ability to relocate and quickly co-locate them with their owners.
“The evacuation, transportation and sheltering of household pets during disasters has become necessary as a lifesaving measure. What we have experienced in the past are victims who have refused assistance unless their pets were accommodated.”
A $40,000 donation was made by the Louisiana State Animal Response Team (LSART), Dr. Walter J. Ernst, Jr. Veterinary Memorial Foundation and Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association (LVMA) to help fund this project.
“The Louisiana State Animal Response Team, Dr. Walter J. Ernst, Jr. Veterinary Memorial Foundation and Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association were pleased to participate in funding this important capability for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. This disaster pet shelter will expand the state’s ability to transport and shelter pets and assist people with pets in getting out of harm’s way,” said LSART Director Renee Poirrier, D.V.M.
LDAF’s household pet plan includes 48-53 foot transport trucks with assembled pet cages and staff to assist parishes with the evacuation, transportation and sheltering of evacuees’ pets. The LDAF’s current pet sheltering plan can accommodate thousands of pets at mega pet shelters. The new mobile pet shelter unit will also be used in search and rescue missions and will be available, upon request, to other states during a disaster.
The mobile pet shelter is a tractor trailer that has a 55 pet capacity. It is equipped with metal cages, generator, battery power and a wash down system. It has an air ventilation system to provide proper air circulation and temperature for the pets.
The total cost of the project was $80,000. The LDAF provided the additional funding.