In the event of a hurricane, tornado, flood or other natural or man made disaster, Osceola County Animal Services reminds pet owners that, if it isn’t safe for you and your families to stay home during a disaster, its not safe for your pets. Families should have a disaster plan in place for themselves, including pets, in case of evacuation.
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► severe weather
► road closures
► missing persons
► evacuations of buildings or neighberhoods.
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Pet friendly shelters
► Shelter availability is based on need.
► Shelters may not be available during each event.
► If a family chooses to stay at a hotel or motel, it is at their expense.
Notice: If you have a dog that is considered dangerous or has been cited as such, we reserve the right to refuse to allow that pet in a pet friendly shelter. Instead, when possible, we can house the pet in our St Cloud shelter facility.
About the shelters
Pet Shelter Supply list
Here is a list of the supplies that we recommend you have when you evacuate with your pet(s).
► A crate to house the pet. It should have enough room for the animal to stand up, lie down and stretch.
► A label on the crate with the owners’ name and phone number is mandatory at Osceola County pet friendly sites.
► Any animal medications in a waterproof bag.
► Food (for at least three days) in a waterproof bag or bags.
► Water and food bowls, blankets and toys.
► Cleaning supplies, including paper towels, spray bottle and trash bags.
► Veterinary records for each pet in an air tight bag.
► It is recommended that all items are stored in plastic bags inside a plastic tote container.
The decision to open public evacuation shelters in Osceola County is made by the Office of Emergency Management.
Area pet friendly lodging
*This choice is at the citizen’s expense and should not to be considered a recommendation but for information only.
Livestock
Recommendations for livestock include:
► Making sure fencing is secure. Although it is always possible for trees and other debris to damage fencing, you want to be sure prior to any event that your fencing is in good repair.
► Fill up all water troughs to capacity so your livestock don’t run out in the event you lose power, water, etc. Fill up extra buckets, canoes, etc. so your animals will have water to last for days.
► Pet livestock be micro-chipped. Ask your veterinarian about having your horses and goats chipped.
While every animal is different, the typical recommendation for flight animals, horses, is to leave them loose in a pasture with shelter available. If they want to go into the stall, they can. Being locked in a stall may cause the horse to become overly frightened during high winds and rain resulting in attempts to escape, injury and death.
Shelter Locations