The pet lesson from Joplin: Microchips

Significant disaster planning prevented the nearly unimaginable June EF-5 tornado that flattened a 6-mile long and half-mile wide swath in Joplin, Mo., from being worse. The Missouri authorities had been fine-tuning their disaster response for years, and it paid off. What we learned about people being unwilling to leave their pets during Hurricane Katrina about pets was applied: Some emergency shelter space accommodated pets.

Although it’s painful to contemplate what could have been worse in what the National Weather Service calls “the deadliest [tornado] since modern recordkeeping began in 1950,” there was one area lacking in which people could have prevented much heartache: microchips.

About 1,300 pets ended up in the Joplin Humane Society. The trick was reuniting them with their owners –  a difficult task given that all but a handful of the pets did not have an ID tag or a microchip. Seen as an unnecessary expense by some people, a tiny microchip and its one-time cost could have saved a lot of worry and grief.

“Microchips are an invaluable resource in a time like this,” said Dr. Ben Leavens of Main Street Pet Care in Joplin, who volunteered a staggering number of hours at the shelter. “When they were present and properly registered, they made a HUGE difference. Tags are OK, but often not on the pet when you need them most.  Microchips are such a small investment to make and do so much good when things go bad. We will no longer have any problems getting people to put them in, I am pretty sure.”

Karen Aquino, executive director of the Joplin Humane Society, saw how difficult it was to reunite pets and owners.

Before the massive adopt-a-thon, more than 500 animals were reunited with their families. … Aquino estimates that 97 percent of the displaced animals were not microchipped and did not have an identification tag.

“About 30 had ID tags but the numbers were disconnected, or old ID tags. You always get ‘I gave that dog away 5 years ago,’ ” Aquino said. “The one thing I say over and over is that an ID tag is your pet’s phone call home. I’m a firm believer in microchips.”

If your pets are not microchipped, make an appointment now: do it before the next tornado, hurricane, earthquake, flood, fire, or blizzard ravages your home town. It’s the cheapest insurance you can buy.

On a personal note: I want to say thanks to ya’ll for the years of fun. When you think of Pet Connection — and you will — I hope you’ll remember such phrases such as “idiopathic WTF” and “cliff diving.” Hard to imagine not coming home from experiences like my locked car rolling through the vet’s parking lot with my dogs in it. I won’t be able to just sit down and share the fun. I think you are all terrific, and I thank you for the fun and learning over the past few years. It’s been more than wonderful getting to know you.

Also, my silly little girl Whinger is doing well. Thanks for your kind wishes for my formerly feisty geriatric.

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The pet lesson from Joplin: Microchips

Significant disaster planning prevented the nearly unimaginable June EF-5 tornado that flattened a 6-mile long and half-mile wide swath in Joplin, Mo., from being worse. The Missouri authorities had been fine-tuning their disaster response for years, and it paid off. What we learned about people being unwilling to leave their pets during Hurricane Katrina about pets was applied: Some emergency shelter space accommodated pets.

Although it’s painful to contemplate what could have been worse in what the National Weather Service calls “the deadliest [tornado] since modern recordkeeping began in 1950,” there was one area lacking in which people could have prevented much heartache: microchips.

About 1,300 pets ended up in the Joplin Humane Society. The trick was reuniting them with their owners –  a difficult task given that all but a handful of the pets did not have an ID tag or a microchip. Seen as an unnecessary expense by some people, a tiny microchip and its one-time cost could have saved a lot of worry and grief.

“Microchips are an invaluable resource in a time like this,” said Dr. Ben Leavens of Main Street Pet Care in Joplin, who volunteered a staggering number of hours at the shelter. “When they were present and properly registered, they made a HUGE difference. Tags are OK, but often not on the pet when you need them most.  Microchips are such a small investment to make and do so much good when things go bad. We will no longer have any problems getting people to put them in, I am pretty sure.”

Karen Aquino, executive director of the Joplin Humane Society, saw how difficult it was to reunite pets and owners.

Before the massive adopt-a-thon, more than 500 animals were reunited with their families. … Aquino estimates that 97 percent of the displaced animals were not microchipped and did not have an identification tag.

“About 30 had ID tags but the numbers were disconnected, or old ID tags. You always get ‘I gave that dog away 5 years ago,’ ” Aquino said. “The one thing I say over and over is that an ID tag is your pet’s phone call home. I’m a firm believer in microchips.”

If your pets are not microchipped, make an appointment now: do it before the next tornado, hurricane, earthquake, flood, fire, or blizzard ravages your home town. It’s the cheapest insurance you can buy.

On a personal note: I want to say thanks to ya’ll for the years of fun. When you think of Pet Connection — and you will — I hope you’ll remember such phrases such as “idiopathic WTF” and “cliff diving.” Hard to imagine not coming home from experiences like my locked car rolling through the vet’s parking lot with my dogs in it. I won’t be able to just sit down and share the fun. I think you are all terrific, and I thank you for the fun and learning over the past few years. It’s been more than wonderful getting to know you.

Also, my silly little girl Whinger is doing well. Thanks for your kind wishes for my formerly feisty geriatric.

View the original article here

Rescue efforts in Joplin reunite pets and people

While displaced families from the Joplin, Mo., tornado were receiving support this week at the American Red Cross’ makeshift shelter in the student center on Missouri Southern State University’s campus, their four-legged family members were just several feet away downstairs — safe in the arms of rescue workers from the Humane Society of Missouri.

“It’s a great way for the families and the pets to brighten each other’s day while they are here. Family members come down and walk their dogs or hug their cats anytime they want and it just gives both of them a sense of familiarity and calmness in the chaos,” says HSM’s Corrie Kahl, shelter manager for the emergency shelter in Joplin and for the HSM shelter in St. Louis.

Racquetball courts and offices in the basement of the student center have become the temporary housing units for the animals. Kennels and blankets and play toys fill the rooms. But most of the pets don’t have much time to use them since staff and volunteers from the HSM spend most of their time holding and babying about 14 animals belonging to the families in the shelter.
The safe-keeping of victimized families’ pets is only one part of the HSM’s activities in Joplin. The HSM Disaster Response Team goes where it is needed throughout the state and neighboring states to execute animal search and rescue efforts. As though to drive that point home, Corrie’s walk talkie crackles with a DRT member from the devastated Joplin suburb, saying, “We do have evidence that the cats are still alive; they are using the litter box. We’ll continue our search.”

Meanwhile, not far from campus, the Joplin Humane Society Animal Adoption and Resource Center’s facility is fulfilling another service: keeping the pets that have been found safe and providing flexible hours for people to come, look and, hopefully, identify their pets. While the facility is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., they are also using social media tools, posting pets’ pictures and date they were found on its Web site.

The Joplin Humane Society (JHS) also has an active Facebook site, too. On that site, there is an Amazon link that lists the product and supplies needed for the shelter that can be shipped. Pet owner Randy Resler is just one person depending on the services of the Society’s AARC. His home was one of the lucky ones; it was not totally destroyed. In fact, he and his wife stayed in it after the storm. His two cats and Pomeranian named Lilly were in crates in the garage out of harm’s way from the debris. While he and his wife were in their house sorting through things, someone apparently found the animals in the garage at the back of the house and did not realize anyone was home and took them. Randy hopes it was a rescue team that found the animals and he is confident that once the JHS has time to process more found animals, he will find his. He was heading that day to the shelter to take another look. As of Saturday, he was still looking.

The JHS’s Facebook postings say more volunteers are not needed at this time at the JHS, but to check back in several weeks. However, there are always unforeseen expenses creating a need for monetary donations now more than ever. Donations can be made through the JHS’s Website.

While some animals are just waiting to get back home, there are some canines with jobs to do. News reports Saturday stated there were 600 volunteers and 50 dog teams out again across the city in search and recovery mode. One organization is Gateway Search Dogs, Inc. of St. Louis.  Kathy Roeder, president of Gateway, was there Thursday with her Australian Shepherd, Cooper. The nonprofit organization provides trained canines and personnel to locate lost, missing and deceased persons. It serves all cities, county, state or national search-and-rescue agencies at no charge.

Updates about Joplin are provided on Web sites like the City of Joplin’s Facebook site where information is immediately posted. Go here for more information. The Web site for the city of Joplin is here and includes links to donations sites and important phone numbers. A volunteer coordination center is manned on the campus of Missouri Southern State University at 3950 Newman Road, Joplin, MO 64801. During the week, the number to call is 417-625-3543 for individuals and groups.

Please do not come from out of town unless you call first to find out if there is anything you can do. Police and fire officials are strongly encouraging anyone who does not have a home in the affected area to please stay clear of the damage site. There will be plenty of time for many months to come to help locally.

Image credit: All photos courtesy of Kathie Kerr.

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