Hi to all. I agree with a lot of things that people suggests about
doing whatever it takes to protect animals in natural weather
emergencies. I have been in New Orleans and other places. Many things
that I have seen - has haunted me for a long time, but it is worth
to see animals being happy when they get rescued. I have seen some
authority figures ordering owners not to bring animals and it upsets
me a great deal. Many people and I work hard to get so many of them
out of the houses when we see that. After New Orleans' and Mississippi's
ordeal, more people are aware of animals being family members than just
being "pets" or "animals" to us. Thankfully.

The North Dakota flood/Mississippi flood back in 2001 or 2003, if I
remember correctly, no one knows how many animals died over there in
Fargo when blizzard melts too quickly. Overwhelming numbers. It takes
New Orleans to wake many of us, but in America, we have short attention
span these days. We need to remember to take weather warnings
seriously. Buy a junk or a crappy or used van that runs. Keep it as
backup. Why? More room for cages! Back up cages or carriers with
litters ready to go all set up inside at all times. It is a godsend
for us. You'd be surprised how many of vans are cheap to buy and runs
GREAT! I am not a rich person myself. Check CraigList.com or other
thrift auto in newspapers, rural areas. MAKE SURE ALL cages have little
fans and water sprays ready to keep them cool. Batteries stocked up,
too, for little carriers/cages' fans to keep working. Tarps to cover
your van from sun if you park in safe place. Garage stocked with couple
gas cans to grab to put on top of van or extra extension behind van,
not inside, if you run short of gas to keep AC running.

Best first move: The ferrets are prone to heat so it is high priority
that you take ferrets in any way you can. Or take all of them ahead of
time and go to a friend's home or a family's home for a few days to
see if it hits your area. It is better than to gamble or wait and see
methods. I have done that with my babies when I hear a tornado that is
too close to us. My friends think I am bonkers or crazy to pack all
my\ babies in the cargo van and leave the area for a couple days, even
a day, until it blows over. It paid off a few times out of few times.
I rather leave than wait until the last minute to be stuck in the
traffic. People were stuck in the traffic for hours in New Orleans,
because they do not take the warnings seriously. No offenses. I take it
seriously when I used to run a shelter (temporarily closed), because
with ferrets, they are prone to heat, stress, and many others. I stock
up meds to reduce their stress and helicobacter from hitting them as
well. I have an emergency bag with all backup stuff in there - dishes,
food, syringes, dry powdered meds, etc. to grab. It is like pregnancy
bag that you pack to be ready at last minute. It works well for me with
ferrets and others.

Second move: Fight and bring animals with you.

Third move: If Army or any other authority figures order you to leave
animals behind, do everything in your power to take Anne's advice to
put all information on the house, window, whatever it takes to get
someone's attention to come in immediately to get them out. Keep shoe
polish of white color for window, use snow spray. Best of all, use
orange tape to tape on window and doors in stock. Bright, bright neon
orange tapes with knife or scissors near you to use it immediately.
White shoe polish works great if you have to rush. It is easy to scrape
it off with razor blade afterwards. Or better, have a foldable sign
with all info in big letters to open and tape on the window within a
30 second rush. Orange tape on a waterproof or sturdy poster.

Fourth move: Pray it never hits your area or it never, ever happens to
you. Smiles. I know I may sound overprotective than normal, but I have
seen too much that it makes me much more prepared than ever. Hope any
or all of these ideas help you all.

Hugs to all fuzzies,
April M. Crompton
MN Wardancers Ranch and Rescue (Thanks BIG for letting me write a
little long email just one time!)

[Posted in FML 5705]