Media advisory: Colorado State University co-sponsoring workshop on sheltering animals during disasters

Colorado floods and wildfires have made clear the importance of advance planning for pet and livestock evacuation and housing during disasters. To help, Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital on Monday is co-sponsoring a free, all-day workshop for Front Range professionals who respond to pet needs during disasters.

The Animal Disaster Sheltering Exercise will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 19 at The Ranch Events Complex in Loveland. It will be led by Diane Robinson, owner of Disaster Animal Shelter Education and former training manager of the American Humane Association’s Red Star Animal Emergency Services Response program.

The event, co-sponsored by CSU Extension and The Ranch (Larimer County Fairgrounds), is designed for supervisor-level personnel in charge of selecting, setting up and managing animal shelters when disasters such as wildfires or floods strike. The group of about 35 will include county Extension agents, veterinarians, fairgrounds managers, Humane Society representatives and animal control officers. Background material on best practices for animal disaster sheltering has been provided through webinars produced by Robinson for Pet Aid Disaster Services.

Dr. Ragan Adams, coordinator of CSU Veterinary Extension and event organizer, said participants will share their experiences and discuss set-up and layout ideas, dilemmas and standard protocols.

Dr. Tim Hackett, director of the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, added that the event is about “not waiting for the next disaster to do your planning. It’s important to get everybody in the same room when they’re not out fighting fires or saving animals from flood.”

For more information on attending and providing media coverage of the event, contact Jeff Dodge at 970.491.4251 or Jeff.Dodge@colostate.edu.

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