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Animal Emergency Planning

Plan for livestock and pet sheltering and safety during disasters

Parish pet plans

Louisiana Revised Statute 29-729 requires every parish in the state to have a local director for the Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness. This director must submit a Parish Pet Plan to The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry by March 1st every year. A Parish pet plan outlines the local parish's plans for providing

  • humane evacuation,

  • safe transport,

  • and temporary sheltering of service animals and household pets in times of emergency or disaster.

Priorities for providing services

Pet owners who have the means to transport their own pets to safety usually won't need evacuation or transport services, though they may require temporary shelter for their animals when circumstances compel them to leave their home. Therefore, parishes will prioritize evacuation and transport for pet owners who lack the means or ability to transport their own pets to safety during an emergency. People in this situation are said to have "Critical Transport Needs" (CTN).

Emergency planning resources

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