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Disaster prep

Hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, floods, large-scale hoarders—these are just some of the natural and man-made disasters that animal welfare groups have to deal with. If something happened, would your organization be prepared? We have resources to help you develop your disaster preparedness plan.

  • Disaster FAQ

    What shelters and rescues need to know about the Hurricanes Maria, Irma and Harvey, as well as the wildfires in Oregon and Montana.

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Most recent Tools and Resources > Disaster prep

  • Magazine Article

    Weathering the storms, part II

    HSUS rescuer and senior wildlife adviser Dave Pauli works with a horse in Vieques who had wandered off her property before Hurricane Irma and was discovered in horrible condition. Her treatment included a tetanus vaccination, vitamins, deworming paste and quality feed.

    Going the distance for pets in Puerto Rico

    by Karen E. Lange and Thaisi Da Silva

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    by Karen E. Lange and Thaisi Da Silva

    On an ordinary day, the main plaza in Vieques’ Isabel Segunda neighborhood comes alive with town hall meetings or morning yoga classes. But on Oct. 1, 11 days after Hurricane Maria struck the small island off the coast of Puerto Rico, the plaza was filled for a very different reason.

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  • Magazine Article

    Weathering the storms, part I

    Staff and volunteers from The HSUS and other groups prepare to whisk homeless cats and dogs out of Hurricane Irma’s path in Florida and deliver them to HSUS emergency placement partners.

    Facing a string of hurricanes, animal welfare groups leap into action

    by M. Carrie Allan and Karen E. Lange

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    by M. Carrie Allan and Karen E. Lange

    Late last summer, storm after storm pounded Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. But thanks to disaster preparation and purposeful collaboration, animal welfare organizations rescued thousands of shelter pets, wildlife and farm animals—and ensured that owned pets were reunited with their families once the storms subsided.

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  • Magazine Article

    Put it in writing

    Written agreements were key to rescue efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and helped ensure that partnering organizations were pulling in the same direction.

    Good written agreements make for better relationships, in disasters and everyday shelter work

    by Kelly Madrone

    Twelve years ago, Hurricane Katrina left chaos in its wake. Animal welfare agencies across the country hustled to get animals to safety, but the scope of such a massive response made it difficult to coordinate efforts. Sometimes it was hard to tell who was in charge of what, who had the authority to make decisions, or where animals had gone post-evacuation. 

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