Cyclone evacation: plan for your pet (they are not permitted in evacuation centres).

Cairns Residents in the line of flooding are being urged to evacuate early,

for many people this means evacuating their pets also.  Like most councils, Cairns Regional Council does not have facilities for pets at evacuation centres, so you will need to plan for their needs in advance.

 

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

 

Cairns Council says some residents may need to evacuate before Cyclone Yasi

Roger Dickson

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

© The Cairns Post

 

RESIDENTS in low lying areas south of Cairns are being urged to consider voluntary evacuations as Tropical Cyclone Yasi, which is now expected to pack 250km/h plus winds, threatens the coast.

10:45 UPDATE: Cairns Mayor Val Schier, who this morning was in a state wide telephone hook-up with disaster experts, Premier Anna Bligh and Queensland Bureau of Meteorology director Jim Davidson said the storm was now predicted to reach high category-four status. 

"That could mean winds in excess of 250km/h," she said. 

"We are particularly concerned for the south between Cairns and Innisfail as the surge threat is greatest in that area. 
 
"It (evacuation) is not mandatory yet as there is not enough information on possible surge heights. Cr Schier described the meeting as both sobering and frightening. 

"(So) what we are urging people to do in low lying areas is to voluntarily evacuate to higher ground," she said. 
 
"People should contact friends who live in nearby safer areas." 
 
Cr Shier said the impact on the low-lying township of Cardwell was also of great concern.

Cairns southside councillor Paul Gregory, who headed up the response to Cyclone Larry in Babinda and Gordonvale, said storm surge posed a particular threat to the seaside villages of Bramston Beach and Russell Heads. 
 
He told The Cairns Post he had sent emails out through his networks advising of the threat. 

"People should prepare as required, if you live in a storm surge area that could mean evacuation," he said. 

"This is really, really serious." 
 
Cr Gregory said one saving grace was that the predicted crossing time of 1am on Thursday was at around low tide. 
 
Irrespective of storm surge he warned all residents to stay inside as the eye of Yasi crossed the coast. 

"That could be as long as an hour," Cr Gregory said. 

Cr Schier also said she expected Education Queensland to send letters home with school students later today advising of school closures tomorrow. 

She said as of this evening should be locating herself at the new Cairns Regional Council disaster management centre at Woree for the duration of the event.

 

Cyclone Yasi heads for Cairns: Tuesday morning BoM

 

Cairns RSPCA evacuates to foster homes

As Cairns battens down for Cyclone Yasi, the RSPCA, located on the flood-prone Barron River bank has evacuated pets to foster homes thanks to many willing and able community foster carers and the hard work of shelter staff and volunteers.

 

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

 

Cairns Pet owners: prepare for Cyclone Yasi

Cairns Pet owners need to be making plans for their pets in the leadup for Cyclone Yasi.  Many areas of Cairns may flood with projected storm surge, heavy rainfall and high tide coinciding.

Make sure you have your pet somewhere familiar, safe and secure, and above potential flood levels.  If you cannot provide this look at sending your pets to a friend or boarding facility above flood levels.  Make sure your pet is clearly marked with a tag (preferably microchipped) in case they are lost in the storm.

Read the press release below from the Australian Veterinary Association.

  

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

 

 

Don’t forget animals when cyclone Yasi hits
With tropical cyclone Yasi due to make landfall in northern Queensland this week, the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is warning people with animals to be prepared.
Australian Veterinary Association spokesperson Dr Jodie Wilson warns that in addition to planning for cyclones ourselves, it’s important to make arrangements for our animals too.
“Preparing ahead of time and acting quickly can be the best way to keep yourself, your family, and your animals out of harm’s way,” said Dr Wilson.
“Be prepared for possible disruption to services, including power, water and phone lines for extended periods of time. Prepare for your animals by putting together a pet or livestock emergency kit,” she said.
The AVA has produced a series of brochures with useful information about protecting pets and livestock during the cyclone season. Information is also available on the AVA’s website at: www.ava.com.au/about_pets and www.ava.com.au/publicinfo.
 For pets
The key things to think about when preparing a pet for a cyclone are:
·         If a cyclone hits, are you going to evacuate or stay at home?
·         If you need to evacuate, do you have a place to take your animals? Consider friends, kennels and animal shelters outside the danger zone.
·         If your pet is staying at home, think about confining it in the safest enclosed room of the house e.g. the bathroom, and DO NOT tie your pet up. Make sure there’s food and water.
·         Talk to your neighbours and tell them about your evacuation plans in case you are away.
·         Ensure your emergency kit contains plenty of non-perishable food (e.g. dry food) and water in spill-proof containers.
·         Make sure your pet is microchipped and has a current collar and tag in case it gets lost.
If you are at home with your pet during a cyclone, try to keep them as calm as possible.
For horses and livestock
The key things to think about when preparing horses and livestock for a cyclone are:
·         If evacuation is impossible, move your horses and livestock to the safest place possible on the premises.
·         Whether you leave livestock in yards or in the paddock should depend on the type of emergency and the risk of injury from material or trees in the paddocks, the likelihood of flooding and the stability of their yards.
·         If time permits, secure or remove all loose objects.
·         Animals need to be identified in case they get lost during wild weather.
·         Make sure the horses and livestock have access to a safe food and water source. Do not rely on automatic water systems as power may be lost.
·         It is also important to make sure that you have alternative sources of feed. This may mean having a storage shed on or off-site specifically for storing feed, or a prearrangement with a stock feed supplier for such situations.
The Australian Veterinary Association encourages those in affected areas to talk to their local veterinarians about planning for a cyclone and preparing an emergency kit.
 
 
 
 
Jacob O'Shaughnessy
Media Relations Manager
 
The Australian Veterinary AssociationUnit 40, 6 Herbert StreetSt Leonards NSW 2065
Ph: 02 9431 5062
Fax: 02 9437 9068Mob: 0439 628 898www.ava.com.au

Vets warn of deadly heartworm risk after floods

The heavy rain this year (with more to come) and widespread flooding have cause a boom in mosquito numbers.  As mosquitoes carry heartworm, a deadly parasite of dogs, we can expect this disease to surge in areas where heartworm prevention is not widely used.  Make sure your dog is protected by giving a monthly heartworm tablet or yearly heartworm injection.

A Press release from the Australian Veterinary Association follows.

 

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

 

Queensland pets at risk
Dog owners cautioned about heartworm
 
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is warning Queensland residents to prepare for an outbreak of heartworm following the recent flood crisis.
 
Heartworm is a parasite which is passed from animal to animal by the bite of a mosquito and the AVA is calling on all dog owners to take preventative measures for the potentially fatal disease.
 
Dr Jodie Wilson, Queensland President of the Australian Veterinary Association says the significant mosquito numbers brought on by the floods will result in an increased risk of the disease. 
 
“Incidence of the disease can rise when temperatures and mosquito numbers increase. Currently, the aftermath of the Queensland flood crisis has meant that the climate is ripe for an increase in mosquito and heartworm numbers,” said Dr Wilson.
 
“We recommend dog owners visit their local vet to find the most appropriate treatment for their animal. While prevention can be as easy as a once a year injection, if a dog is infected, it becomes very hard to treat and can become potentially lethal,” she said.
 
Local Bundaberg vet Dr Andrew Marland said that Queenslanders should step up their preventative measures to protect dogs from heartworm. However, Dr Marland added that this is a unique situation which could result in a significant outbreak.
 
“As Queensland residents continue to clean up following the floods, we urge them to visit their vet and discuss heartworm options for their dog,” said Dr Marland.
 
The number of displaced animals is also expected to impact the spread of the disease, with many heartworm infected wild animals and lost pets already displaced from their usual habitats by the rising flood waters.
 
According to the American Heartworm Society, hurricanes Katrina and Rita saw a similar impact on heartworm levels, with an estimated 60 percent of the pets displaced by Hurricane Katrina likely to have been infected with the illness.[i]
 
“It is in crises such as these that compliance with monthly heartworm treatments may become more difficult due to extenuating circumstances. Dog owners looking for a simpler solution should speak with their vet about a once a year heartworm injection to take the worry out of pet health during the following months,” said Dr Marland.
 
Signs of heartworm can include:
Lethargy or general tiredness
tiring easily with exercise
coughing
loss of appetite
enlarged or swollen abdomen
 
Queensland residents concerned that their dog may be infected should immediately talk to their local vet about treatment.
 
 
Jacob O'Shaughnessy
Media Relations Manager
 
The Australian Veterinary Association
Unit 40, 6 Herbert Street
St Leonards NSW 2065
Ph: 02 9431 5062
Fax: 02 9437 9068
Mob: 0439 628 898
www.ava.com.au

Vets on alert for disease outbreaks after floods

Many human and animal diseases spread rapidly during wet weather or following floods.  Poor sanitation, insect vector plagues and stressed animals crowded together on available dry ground all mean the risk of serious infectious animal disease (and also many human diseases like Ross River virus) are greatly enhanced.

 

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

 

Veterinarians in Australia on standby – animal disease a major concern

It has been reported that veterinarians in Australia are on standby as animal diseases have become a huge concern across the country.

Vet advice
The Australian Veterinary Association has gathered a team to advise vets in flood zones. The advisors include those who deal with livestock, wildlife, horses and animal behaviour.

 

President of the Australian Cattle Veterinarians, Dr Robert Bonanno, has said that there major potential for many mosquito spread viruses. "The conditions have probably never been better, certainly in my living memory, for the spread of things like Akabane, three day sickness and those types of viral diseases spread by mozzies," he says.

 

Livestock owners are also being warned about feeding livestock mouldy feed, and of botulism.

Pet Relocation after Queensland floods: is your pet microchipped?

How would you find your pet if they were seperated from you by storms, a natural disaster or just ran away?  Hundreds of people have worked hard to look after pets displaced by flooding and reunite them with their owners.  This is so much easier if pets are microchipped, have a name tag, and you have good records including photos.  Here are details on how to relocate pets lost in the recent Queensland Floods.

 

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

 

After the QLD floods- how to reunite lost pets with their owners

The heartbreak of a missing pet is just another burden for those affected by the tragic floods. There are hundreds of people who are desperate to locate lost pets and also many people who have found pets they wish to reunite with their owners. These tasks are made more difficult for many flood victims because they face a lack of access to resources such as pet-related documentation or even a car to assist with the search.

I urge people to make contact with the RSPCA, Animal Welfare League and local council pounds as well as making full use of the web, including Facebook and Twitter, to spread information.

Locating a lost pet

Collate your pet’s details.  It sounds obvious, but it is vital to have an accurate description of your pet including the breed, type, sex, colour, coat length, size, age, collar type and colour, the details engraved on the tag it was wearing, council registration details and micro-chip number.  Also include any distinguishing features such as ears being pricked or floppy, tail being curled or docked, nose being long and pointy or short and rounded – the more detailed information you can provide the better.  Shelter and pound staff indicate that owner descriptions of dogs and cats often bear little resemblance to how the pets actually look so getting this information right is vital.  If you are able to provide a recent photo of your pet, this will also assist in identifying it.

Is your pet micro-chipped?  If so, contact the organisation that your pet is listed with and let them know your pet is missing.  Make sure they have your up to date contact details.  There are five organisations that hold micro-chip records for pets registered in Queensland, so if you are not sure which one your pet is listed with, you may need to contact them all.

 

·       Central Animal Records, http://www.car.com.au/, 03 9706 3187

·       Australasian Animal Registry, http://www.aar.org.au/index.html, 02 9704 1450

·       National Pet Register, http://www.petregister.com.au/, 1300 734 738

·       Petsafe, http://www.petsafe.com.au/, 02 8850 6800

·       Homesafe ID, http://www.homesafeid.com/Index.cfm, 1300 537 140

If you know the micro-chip number but not the company, go to www.petaddress.com.au and enter the number, you will be advised which organisation you are with.

 

List your pet with RSPCA Queensland Lost and Found service: 1300 363 736, 07 3426 9999 or rspcaqld

 

Contact the Council pound in your own municipality and in areas where you think your pet may be.  If possible, ring the pounds every day and visit as often as you can as it may not be possible for the pound to contact you if your pet is not able to be identified by registration tags or a micro-chip.

 

Contact veterinary clinics in your area and surrounding areas – many displaced pets are currently being cared for in veterinary hospitals.

 

Use Social Media - Use Twitter, Facebook etc

List your pet on this website  Queensland flood animals

List your pet on this Facebook Page -  Animals Lost and Found

 

Search your neighbourhood and talk to as many people as possible.  Pets may stay hidden if they are frightened or injured, so carry a torch to check in dark areas.  Check yards, sheds and areas that are out of the way.

Widen your search with a “flyer” that can be placed in public areas.  It should include a description of your pet, a recent photo, your contact details and the date.  Photocopy and distribute this as widely as possible: letterboxes, local shops, schools, supermarket notice boards, vet clinics, animal welfare shelters and council pounds.  Keep one identifying characteristic, such as a marking on your pet, private so that if someone rings you can quickly check whether the pet is yours or not.

 

Place advertisements in Lost and Found in the local newspapers, including papers in major cities, and check the Found sections daily.  Another good option is the web, there are a number of sites that have been set up including the Facebook page “Animals lost and found in Qld Floods”.

Phone breed clubs of your breed as they often ‘rescue’ dogs of their particular breed from vets and pounds.

 

Phone radio stations as many will be happy to help the community at this difficult time.

Have you found a lost pet?

Keep the animal secure and take it to an animal shelter or vet as soon as possible so it can be scanned for a micro-chip.  If the animal is micro-chipped the owners will be contacted so they can be reunited with their pet.

List the pet with RSPCA Qld Lost and Found service: 1300 363 736, 07 3426 9999 or www.rspcaqld.org.au.

 

Notify Councils in your area that you have found a pet.  If you are unable to care for the animal temporarily, they may be able hold the pet at their pound or shelter.

List the pet on this website   Queensland Flood Animals

the Animals Lost and Found Facebook Page

 

Place a Found notice in local papers or post information on web sites specifically set up for the floods.

Pets survive Queensland floods

Pets which survived the Queensland floods are being looked after by volunteers, councils and vets and gradually reunited with their owners.  Here are some touching survival stories.

 

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

 

Pet survivors amaze rescuers after Lockyer Valley flash flood

RESCUED: Animal control officer Darryl Simpson with parrots saved from a Lockyer Valley home. Picture: Glenn Barnes

Source: The Courier-Mail

THE other survivors emerging from flattened Grantham are bedraggled and trembling dogs and cats left behind to face a deadly wall of water as their owners tried frantically to flee from its path.

In one low-set house, where the dirty water line marked the ceiling, animal control officer Darryl Simpson found two dogs sheltering amid thick sludge in a back bedroom.

Nearby, another house wrenched off its stumps came to rest at a 45-degree angle and waiting there on the jutting front porch were two old and tiny black chihuahuas.

"I know animals can survive extreme circumstances but some of these animals that have survived this incident, you just scratch your head and think 'how?'," he said.

Mr Simpson said more than 100 pets had so far been saved as council trucks became "travelling zoos", transporting muddy dogs and cats as well as parrots, rats, siamese fighting fish and chickens.

"You think if a chook can survive, there's still a lot of hope for those people that are missing," he said.

Floodwaters rendered the Lockyer Valley Council's Gatton pound useless so cages at the nearby University of Queensland small animal hospital are now filled with homeless animals.

The equine centre is full of amazing tales of survival, such as an orphaned miniature horse born as the torrent hit, or the standardbred trapped in its racing stable that had to tread water for 30 hours.

Head vet Dr Bob Doneley said most new arrivals "ate ravenously" then curled up to sleep for a day.