The Brazos County Emergency Management Team is working with the Brazos Animal Shelter and the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine to help shelter evacuees with large and small animals. It has been shown that many victims of Rita and Katrina refused to leave their animals, putting them in danger. Due to this, federal law now allows evacuees to bring their pets and livestock with them.
Livestock and pets are making the 96-mile trip from Houston to Bryan-College Station to escape the hurricane. Evacuees can go to Veterans Park, where they will be directed to the appropriate shelter depending on the size of their animal. Larger animals are being sent to the Brazos County Expo Center located just west of Bryan-College Station on Leonard Road, while smaller animals are being sent to the Riverside Campus shelter.
Angela Clendenin, director of communications and public relations at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said they and the 167 volunteers at the school are fully prepared to take on whatever comes their way. Many large animals were brought in Thursday night and more are expected over the course of the weekend.
"Doors will be shut and covered and we will button things down to block the wind," said Clendenin of the Expo Center. Though they have the ability to hosue up to 200 horses, 80 cattle and 80 smaller livestock such as pigs, they currently have 130 horses, two cows and four pigs.
"Some of the horses have never been around each other so they are being closely watched in case we need to change stalls or separate them" says Clendenin.
The smaller pets are being kept at the Riverside Campus which, according to Clendenin, is a "solid building with good generators." The College of Veterinary Medicine is composed of the Small Animal Hospital and the Large Animal Hospital, and will be available for animals in need of emergency care.
Encouraged to bring your own food and shavings, the shelters are fully equipped for the weekend and part of next week, though evacuees are encouraged to bring their own food and shavings for their animals. Clendenin said she expects owners to head home by themselves first to check on the damage before bringing the animals back.
For updated information, go to eresponse.cvm.tamu.edu.
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