Veterinarians in North Carolina are readying for Hurricane Irene, with 28
volunteers signed on to transport animals to safety if needed.
A list of practitioners available to aid pending relief efforts is being
compiled by Claire Holley, executive director of the North Carolina
Veterinary Medical Association (NCVMA). The group's efforts are being
conducted in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services' Emergency Services Division.
At least 65 million people on the East Coast from the Carolinas to Quebec
could be impacted by the storm, authorities report. The hurricane, predicted
to be the largest storm to hit eastern coastal regions in 70-plus years, is
expected to make landfall tomorrow morning. A mandatory evacuation is under
way for North Carolina's Outer Banks and surrounding region. As of 2
p.m. EST Friday, the storm raged a few hundred miles south of Cape
Hatteras.
Holley reports that two shelters for horses and other large animals have
been set up in Martin and Wake counties. Close to 200 horses already are
being housed. The NCVMA's volunteers are coordinating efforts to transport animals to shelters, she says. Some counties have collection shelters for owned animals. Additionally, some shelters have been designated pet friendly for owners escaping the storm with their pets. The American Humane Association will stage shelters for dislocated pets after the storm passes.
As far as relief materials and emergency aid are concerned, Holley says,
"we're not expecting the deployment of anything until Sunday at the
earliest. Right now, everyone's on standby. We won't be able to
spring into action until after the storm hits."
Veterinarians who'd like add their names to the NCVMA's list of
volunteer aid workers can email Holley at claire@ncvma.org.