Osceola shelter sends pets to Atlanta

For the first time in its history, Osceola County Animal Services is evacuating its pet shelter, sending an estimated 80 dogs and cats to Atlanta ahead of Hurricane Irma.

“We really want to get the animals out of the area,” said director Kim Staton. “It’s the safest place to be. If I didn’t do this work, I’d be heading up north myself.”

Orange County doesn’t plan to evacuate its pets, and Lake and Seminole are hoping to get people to foster some of their animals.

In Osceola, the shelter attempted to arrange an evacuation before Hurricane Matthew last year but ran out of time before an emergency curfew took effect. Since then, Osceola’s shelter has forged an agreement with the Atlanta Humane Society, which is sending its own staff to pick up the pets today.

The charity will try to find the animals adoptive homes in the Atlanta area.

Still, another 100 or so will need to stay behind because they aren’t considered adoptable. Some are under a rabies quarantine, and others entered the facility too recently as strays, not giving their owners sufficient time to claim them.

A limited staff will remain at the shelter to care for the pets.

In Seminole and Lake counties, meanwhile, officials are hoping that people will adopt a pet — if only for the duration of the storm.

“We’re offering already spayed and neutered animals for adoption for $1,” said Diane Gagliano, program and events coordinator for Seminole County Animal Services. If it doesn’t work out, people can bring them back after the storm, no questions asked. But we’re hoping they’ll fall in love.”

Similarly, in Lake, the county’s short-term foster program allows volunteers to take in a dog for a few days, giving them a break from the stress of a kennel during the storm.

All county shelters plan to continue caring for pets around the clock for Irma’s duration, though their staffs will be divided between the animal facilities and the petfriendly shelters for humans.

In Orange County, Dil Luther, director of Animal Services, said the county shelter would not be evacuated.

“It’s a very secure building,” he said. “We’ve been through hurricanes before, and it’s the safest place for animals to be.”

The shelter is equipped with a generator in the event that power is lost. The shelter is also prepared to dispatch Animal Services Enforcement Officers in response to animal-related calls once it is declared safe to be on the road.

Officials warned that pets should not be taken to animal shelters with the idea that they can board there during the storm.

“The more people do that, the more likely it is that animals will be euthanized — and that’s what we’re trying to avoid,” Staton said.

Anyone evacuating with a pet should bring a leash and harness, immunization records, enough water for three days and dry food. For a list of nationwide pet-friendly evacuation shelters, go to BringFido.com.