CULTIVATING COMPASSION
Disaster Preparedness for Animals... ...continued from page 31
HOW YOU CAN HELP Relief and restoration efforts in Western North Carolina are ongoing. If you would like to offer support with a direct im- pact, these local Asheville organizations, in addition to those already mentioned, continue to provide assistance in their communities on behalf of animals, artists, basic services and the environment. Animal Haven https://animalhavenofasheville.org BeLoved Asheville www.belovedasheville.com Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church https://gcpcusa.org ArtsAVL Emergency Relief Grant for Artists https://artsavl.org North Carolina Arts Foundation www.ncartsfoundation.org Asheville GreenWorks www.ashevillegreenworks.org A Personal Note from the Pathways Team The devastation to Western North Carolina is just the latest reminder that environmental disasters don’t discriminate. No one is safe from or immune to the effects of climate change, and this one hit Pathways particularly close to home. Two of our community connections have had their lives altered for- ever by Hurricane Helene, specifically our featured Fall cover artist, Tarah Singh, and our long-time friend and contributing editor, Cam MacQueen, who founded the “Cultivating Com- passion” column over 25 years ago. Following is their Venmo information if you would like to of- fer them any support. The Pathways Community is an extraor- dinary microcosm for so much good, so thank you in advance for taking care of each other. Cam MacQueen: @Campbell-MacQueen Tarah Singh : @Tarah-Singh
● Know where you can take your animals that will meet their requirements. If you need to go to a temporary shelter, make sure it is equipped to care for them. ● Identify multiple sources for purchasing any special foods. ● Have enough carriers on hand to evacuate all birds. Equip nest boxes with quick-release latches and a hinge-type cover over the entrance to enable quick removal for transport. ● If maintaining a safe environment for your animals requires a continuous supply of power, purchase a generator and make sure it is in good running con- dition. ● Equip aviaries with an overhead sprinkler system to minimize smoke inhalation, cool the air, and reduce the chance of burn injuries. Birds are sensitive to smoke and fumes and succumb quickly to smoke.
If for some extreme reason you are not able to evacuate with your companion animals, there are important tasks you need to accomplish before leaving your home: ● Never leave them tied up or in crates. During a flood or fire they won’t be able to get away. ● Leave them loose inside the home with food and plenty of wa- ter. Remove the toilet tank lid, raise the seat and brace the bathroom door open so they can drink. ● Always keep exotic animals in separate rooms. Leave warn- ings and handling instructions. ● Place a notice outside in a visible area, advising what pets are in the house and where they are located. Provide a phone number where the survivor or a contact can be reached as well as the name and number of the vet. ● Find first responders and let them know your animals need to be rescued. Planning ahead is always wise and may one day save the lives of your companion animals as well as your own. Howard Edelstein has assisted local and national animal orga - nizations in helping animals affected by disasters and cruelty cases throughout the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean on over 70 deploy - ments. He has a degree in Emergency Management and was em - ployed with FEMA for 6 years helping people and animals affected by disasters throughout the country. Howard has also written the children’s book, Ready or Not, Here it Comes , on disaster prepared- ness for companion animals. More recently, Howard assisted the Humane Society of the U.S. in caring for dogs brought to safety after Hurricane Helene hit Tennessee. www.humanesociety.org One case near and dear to his heart happened in 2012 during Hur - ricane Isaac. After helping to shelter relocated horses and donkeys, Howard drove Isaac, a baby pig found on a levee, from New Orleans to Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, MD. Isaac is still there, living a pig’s best possible life.
32—PATHWAYS—Winter 24-25
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