County Will Provide Safe Haven for Pets During Emergencies

Pet owners in the city and town of Rye who have to evacuate the area because of emergencies or natural disasters could have a safe place to shelter their pets.

The Westchester County Board of Legislators approved two acts last week to receive funding to develop a regional plan for providing temporary emergency shelter for pets.

Board member Vito Pinto said during emergencies pet owners often have no options for safe haven of their animals.

"Whenever there are emergencies—most notably we found it to be extremely true and disturbing was [Hurricane] Katrina—residents had no place to put their dogs, no way of controlling their animals and their pets and therefore remained with their pets and in some cases lost their lives along with their pets," Pinto said. "We're hoping to avoid that situation in the future."

"We're hoping that this plan will set in place purchasing proper equipment to allow for residents, especially during times of emergencies, to have their pets taken care of," Pinto added.

In Rye and neighboring towns, there are several organizations that provide shelter for pets and promote humane treatment of animals. Stray Alive, a non-profit located on 45 New Street in Rye, uses donations to care for shelter dogs. The organization purchases food and medical supplies and transports dogs to vet appointments. The SPCA of Westchester in Briarcliff Manor provides shelter and rehabilitation for abused or lost pets. It also has an online guide provided by the Department of Homeland Security about how to prepare your pet for emergencies and natural disasters.

The acts, which the board approved by a vote of 15-0, could supplement the services local organizations provide throughout the county.

The acts allow the county to enter into two separate agreements with Putnam County and the City of New York to receive funding for the Companion Animal Sheltering Equipment program. The program is administered by the New York State Office of Homeland Security. Westchester County had to partner with Putnam and the city because grants are only given to entities that partner with other municipalities.

The county will receive and administer $35,000 in funding through its agreement with Putnam County. It will also receive $25,000 for its second agreement with New York City. However, that grant will be administered by the city and not the county.

The grants will be used to purchase pet sheltering equipment, to support planning, and perform training and exercise activities associated with animal sheltering, the county said.