By Heidi Dahms Foster
Two local animal disaster groups have worked together to give peace of mind to animal lovers who find themselves displaced by disasters. With annual monsoons and fire season approaching, the services these groups provide are crucial. If people know their livestock and smaller pets can be safe, they will be more likely themselves to evacuate to safety if a disaster warrants.
Animal Disaster Services (ADS) was founded in 1999 to provide shelter to animals evacuated due to fires and flooding within Yavapai County. Since its creation, ADS has responded to all major events, under the direction of Yavapai County Emergency Management, providing shelter to a variety of pets and small companion animals including, most recently, a bearded dragon.
Large Animal Shelters & Emergency Readiness (LASER), founded in 2019, is a local organization of volunteers working with the Yavapai County Office of Emergency Management to provide shelter for barn animals during evacuations and to provide information for emergency preparedness. This group serves households, families, and individuals in Yavapai County by sheltering equines, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry, llamas, alpacas, emus, and rabbits during an emergency.
Many people remember the heartrending scenes during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when people were not allowed to take their animals with them when they were evacuated. Animals died in homes where families thought they’d be able to return to care for them, drowned while tied on porches or left inside homes, or were lost as they had to be turned loose. Some people died because they would not evacuate without their pets.
The disaster marked a shift in the way emergency responders and agencies looked at animals during such emergencies. Yavapai County is one of those agencies that now has extensive assistance for animals in such an emergency.
While hurricanes are not a threat here, wildfires are, and the seven times LASER has been activated have been for local wildfires. The County placed them on standby for an additional six times.
In April 2017, the Goodwin Fire that started near Walker exploded in just a few days to more than 28,000 acres, roaring toward Mayer and all the small ranches and horse properties along the way. Volunteers cared for horses and livestock at the Coors Event Center at the old Yavapai County Fairgrounds on Highway 89A. Animal Disaster Services set up at Bradshaw Mountain High School, where they cared for large number of dogs, cats and other small pets.
During the Crooks Fire in April 2022 in the mountains just south of Prescott, LASER volunteers staffed their shelter around the clock for two weeks, caring for horses, goats, turkeys, ducks, chickens, and a rooster. Those are just two of the wildfires that required the services of animal disaster specialists and volunteers, and by taking care of peoples’ animals, these volunteers save human lives by making it easier for them make the difficult decision to evacuate.
ADS is a completely mobile organization, with four supply trailers located within Yavapai County. The organization has predetermined locations where an emergency shelter can be set up to accommodate a variety of pets and small companion animals. Shelter services are provided 24 hours per day, every day, throughout the duration of the evacuations. All services are provided free of charge to the pet owner and include all general care.
ADS volunteers keep busy throughout the year, participating in community events and residential presentations to provide education regarding emergency preparedness for all animals and bringing awareness to the services available, when evacuated.
At the first notice of an incident that could threaten human life and/or property in areas where there are barn animals, the Yavapai County Office of Emergency Management (YCOEM), alerts LASER. Immediately, LASER sends a “heads-up” text message to all LASER shelter volunteers, asking for their availability for scheduling over the next few days. The large animal shelter is set up by LASER’s Quick Response Team, ready to open to Yavapai County residents once an evacuation GO order is issued by the Sheriff or at the direction of YCOEM.
Lisa Bird, Media Relations and Communication Coordinator for ADS, shared some of the ways the two organizations partner together, which creates a seamless source of help and comfort to pet and livestock owners during emergencies.
“For A.D.S.,” Bird said, “It is easy to share information regarding our organization along with the services provided by LASER when speaking with animal owners. We always want to ensure animal owners are aware services are available for all animals, big and small, during evacuations.
“LASER has a great image of how the American Red Cross, LASER, and A.D.S. are connected in sheltering all evacuees. Often families will use the services of all three organizations during an evacuation.
”They say it takes a village to raise a child. During an evacuation, it takes a village of volunteers from all three organizations to provide calm, safe, and secure environments for each family member affected by the crisis. This includes the furry, scaly, hairy, big, and small family members.
“The high level of communication, information sharing, and support for the specific services each organization provides help facilitate those services.
“In sharing our messages of preparedness and awareness, ADS and LASER provide joint presentations to local organizations and residential communities. ADS and LASER also participate in many of the same community events. If we are not at the same location or event, each organization has brochures for the other, available to attendees.”
There is no cost to the public for LASER or ADS services, but essential operational expenses are incurred. Community support helps LASER and ADS to function. Donations for both organizations are much appreciated, are tax deductible, and can be made through LASER’s website at laser-shelter.org and the ADS website at animaldisasterservices.com. Both organizations also have Facebook pages.
