Pet evacuation guidelines for the parish

Sunday marked the beginning of hurricane season for Louisiana and with a named storm already south of the United States it is never too early to plan for a possible evacuation.

The Vermilion Parish Rabies Control in conjunction with the Vermilion Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) have provided information for animals in the event of an emergency.

While it is most important to make sure the people of the area are evacuated first, the Vermilion Parish organizations also want to save people’s pets.

Approximately 12 percent of the population of the parish will need transportation in the event of an evacuation.

According to the plan, the ultimate responsibility for ordering an evacuation rests with the Police Jury President. The decision will be made after coordination with all public officials within the jurisdiction covered by the incident and the Emergency Preparedness Director and will come through the Public Information Officer at the Energency Operations Center.

The parish will house pets under the following conditions for pet evacuation are:

•Pets must be current on their vaccinations.

•Have a a current photograph of the pet (with the owner if possible).

•Have a collar with identification tag on it. The ID tag must have the owner’s driver’s license number on it. Each pet must have a least to control the pet. All dogs over 30 pounds must have a muzzle on at all times.

•Each pet must have a pet carrier. The carriers must be large enough for the animal to stand up and turn around.

•Each pet must have food and water bowl in the carrier.

•Each pet must have two weeks supply of food, water, and any medications needed.

•Only small animals in carriers will be transported on buses from the staging area, which is North Vermilion High School.

•All medium and or large pets must be brought directly to the staging area.

The following is a list of pick-up points in the parish for people.

•Boys and Girls Clubs of Acadiana, Inc. Vermilion Unit, 301 A. A. Comeaux Memorial Drive, Abbeville.

•Kaplan High School, 608 Eleazar Avenue, Kaplan.

• Erath City Park, La. Bypass Hwy 14, Erath.

•Gueydan Civic Center, 901 Wilkerson Street, Gueydan.

•Old Herod School, (Herod Village) 1411 Martin Luther King Drive, Abbeville.

•Old Winn-Dixie Parking Lot, 1100 Veterans Memorial Drive, Abbeville.