How Do You Leave Them Behind

[Gallomph]

So sorry you are in this situation Gallamph, glad you and your furkids are okay. *HUGS*

Thanks for your thoughts, Ozjen. I'm lucky compared to all those up north. It's hard to comprehend how devastating it is for them.

Have just finished the indoors cleanup, and will move back in in a couple of days, when it has dried a bit more. Won't be returning much of my stuff though, as with all the rain forecast, there is a chance of it flooding again.

This was a pretty big flood for the area. The property behind me is the original homestead in the area, and has never had water through it in flooding since it was built in the 1840s. The creek came up very quickly and there was minimal warning. The worst thing was not being able to get any info on whether it was going to get worse, that made it hard to decide when to leave. Finally when it was an hour til dark and water started bubbling through the floorboards, I decided not to stick around any longer!

[Pollywaffle]

I was in tears again watching the news tonight, some south african girl went back to her house and found her house mates dog sitting on a mattress out the front of their house.

I'm sad because this poor dog was left behind, but happy because it's alive and so excited to see his mates. They took him back with them on the boat as the water is still about waist high.

I did hear somewhere (I think it was Rockhampton) that the RSPCA had set up a shelter, but there was limited space and it was filling up fast.

I saw this news item too and the girl seemed quite amazed that the dog had survived...really made me angry to see such indifference towards a valued pet...obviously not high on their list of priorities. Funny, I mentioned it to my sister too (loves her animals) and she had seen it and was equally as incensed as I was.

[Scarlet]

The RSPCA are running a shelter from the Rockhampton Red Cross evacuation centre but apparently they are fast running out of spaces. The radio said they have over 30 cats and 20 dogs but they are also calling on locals to foster them.

Also on today's radio it was announced that in Theodore (the entire town was evacuated and I believe many pets were refused evacuation) council, SES and RSPCA workers were going around in boats and walking and swimming through houses to feed some animals.

I think there are some wonderful people trying to protect as many animals as possible.

Edited January 3, 2011 by Scarlet

[Sheridan]

A lot of these places have had fair warning what was coming so really there is no excuse. NOt like a lot of the fires where there was no warning.

What I'm getting from all these sorts of posts is that people who thought they'd be okay or didn't get the warnings deserve to have their pets die.

So much for being humane and kind. It seems to be beyond some people.

[Jake-K9]

While trawling through on-line galleries of the floods this morning I found this photo from Theodore:

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/photo...2010&num=51

Looks like they have tried to get as many pets out as possible (if people can't see it or the link doesn't work, it shows many pets in crates, and dogs tied up outside "Hotel Theodore", with SES personnel looking after them). Glad so many have been saved.

Edit to add another photo from a different perspective, shows more dogs out front:

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/photo...2010&num=39

Edited January 3, 2011 by Jake-K9

[Nekhbet]

No negotiation - my babies leave with me, or I don't leave. I will sit on the roof and have food dropped to me before I leave my furkids to fend for themselves in a disaster.

so you think expenive emergency services are there to cater to you and just make time to air drop food to you so you can sit in danger because of your dogs, while other people who may desperately need these services can wait. Cant believe the attitude.

99% of pets would go ape on a helicopter especially with panicking owners. As much as many people say 'oh they should airlift too' a screaming, thrashing frightened animal is an extreme danger on a helicopter full of people. A big dog on a helicopter can take up the space of a child or another adult - would you want it on your head your dog took their space in an emergency evacuation?

I'm playing devils advocate. Open a big bag of food and hope they survive or put them out of their mysery before you leave if you see no hope. Its just dissapointing if there was fair warning and people chose to hang around - then be devestated when evac services make a call to leave pets behind.

[KOE]

A lot of these places have had fair warning what was coming so really there is no excuse. NOt like a lot of the fires where there was no warning.

What I'm getting from all these sorts of posts is that people who thought they'd be okay or didn't get the warnings deserve to have their pets die.

So much for being humane and kind. It seems to be beyond some people.

and what you are getting is WRONG as usual some things just dont change do they.

[Sheridan]

A lot of these places have had fair warning what was coming so really there is no excuse. NOt like a lot of the fires where there was no warning.

What I'm getting from all these sorts of posts is that people who thought they'd be okay or didn't get the warnings deserve to have their pets die.

So much for being humane and kind. It seems to be beyond some people.

and what you are getting is WRONG as usual some things just dont change do they.

'They were told.' There is nothing that's less than ugly about statements like that.

[KOE]

your words not mine

oh Im not getting into anything with you go find another guppie to argue with.

[oakway]

As I have not read all the post here but I am getting the jist of it.

Stop arguing, provisions have been made for those owners wishing to take their dog with them.

They are kenneled at the same place for the owner's convenience where all displaced persons are. per courtesy of the ABC broadcasts on the flood situation.

[Crisovar]

It is very easy to sit at a keyboard and think you know how you would act or what actions you would take, it is a whole new ball game when you are actually faced with the reality of a disaster.

There but for the grace of god go each and every one of us.

[HollyMilo]

It is very easy to sit at a keyboard and think you know how you would act or what actions you would take, it is a whole new ball game when you are actually faced with the reality of a disaster.

There but for the grace of god go each and every one of us.

Amen.

[mita]

Agree, Crisovar.

I've been looking up various USA counties' Disaster Plans about pets. Now that it's required by law in the US to take pets into consideration, they get down to brass tacks. Most important emphasis is on preparedness...what can be in place already (by pet owners, neighbourhoods & communities).

Here's the summary of the San Francisco county plan & advice. Note they say it's preferable to take pets on evacuation, but accept reality it's sometimes not possible (so they say what to do then).

Huge emphasis put on prior education of pet owners so everyone doesn't just run around at the crisis point, with no time to start a plan. The authorities mail blunt & easy to read material to citizens.

http://www.sfgov2.org/index.aspx?page=1068

I found that the Qld Government has a brochure on Operational Planning for disaster. Even has a list of those USA Disaster Plans as reference material used. Service dogs & pets are mentioned. For service dogs (like seeing eye & hearing dogs), the rule is the same as the USA. They're considered an extension of a person's abillity to survive, so must be evacuated with that person.

The big difference in Qld, is no follow-up with good public education....& certainly the position re pets is not spelled out like it is in the USA where consideration is required by law.

Edited January 3, 2011 by mita

[mita]

A good pet story from Rockhampton. Mick's puss mate, that he only called 'the cat', ran away when waters came up. He returned to search, really stressed... & found his puss. Now puss is safe with him at the animal shelter at U of CQ. And has got a real name to celebrate. 'Tiger'.

http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story...-to-rescue-cat/

[Clyde]

I don't know what I would do. I know that sitting here now I think I would not leave any of them behind but I also wouldn't risk my daughters life or my life. If anything happened to me my daughter would have no parents at all so I need to be realistic. I have cat cages neatly stacked at the front of the shed and there is room in my car for dogs too, but the stock and chooks would be left to hope for the best. It would be a devastating decision to have to decide to leave my dogs or cats behind for any reason but my daughter will always be my main priority.

[Parkeyre]

I don't have children, and I only have two well behaved adult dogs. I think in the even of an evacuation emergency; I could very quickly pack up what we need and get the hell out of there, but I would be more inclined to leave early "just in case" rather then "wait it out and see".

I feel sorry for every single person who is ever put in the situation of possibly leaving their beloved pets behind.

I feel sorry for every soul who is pts or starved, drowned or otherwise.

It's just sad every way you look it. :D

[Baby Dragon]

To those people who are saying everyone had fair warning. I don't know how it was in other towns, but in Rockhampton my uncle's cattle are stranded and may even be washed away if it gets over 9.5m :D

The reason for this is he was going by the official warnings of an 8.5m flood. They would have been fine at this level. But overnight the warnings were changed to 9.5m (HUGE difference) and by the time those revised warnings came out, nobody could get to the cattle.

It's not through a lack of planning or anything like that. It's nobody's fault. It's just that the flood was so unpredictable that even people listening to the warnings and doing everything right still weren't fully prepared. Those giving the warnings were doing the best they could with the information they had.

Edited January 3, 2011 by Baby Dragon

[mac'ella]

There is provision in SES guidelines and ADF when assisting emergency services, for domestic animals,but the priority is human life 1st,where if its a case of taking animals and not knowing if there will be time or resources to get other people to safety a hard decision has to be made.

As for predicting flood heights this relies on monitoring levels upstream and estimating how much water is likely to enter as run off further down this isnt an easy task,how many could estimate how long it would take to fill a bath by watching the water come out of the tap?This is probably the worst flood since the SES was formed and with the earlier flooding making it even harder to estimate.

there will be a lot of lessons learnt both by emergency services and the people living in flood prone areas as in the case of bushfires where there has been a lot of work put in for evacuation plans in remote limited access areas,you would be surprised how many residents in bushy properties thought they will be OK when the RFS and SES did a door knock advising these people.

The SES has been preparing ,upgrading boats introducing more training in floodboat, swiftwater awareness,and technicians so that there are more trained volunteers available, this shows in the amount of rescues performed and the fact that nearly all the fatalities were caused by people ignoring warnings and trying to cross flooded causeways.

We can only hope that there isnt a repeat of this size in the future.

[ozjen]

There is provision in SES guidelines and ADF when assisting emergency services, for domestic animals,but the priority is human life 1st,where if its a case of taking animals and not knowing if there will be time or resources to get other people to safety a hard decision has to be made.

As for predicting flood heights this relies on monitoring levels upstream and estimating how much water is likely to enter as run off further down this isnt an easy task,how many could estimate how long it would take to fill a bath by watching the water come out of the tap?This is probably the worst flood since the SES was formed and with the earlier flooding making it even harder to estimate.

there will be a lot of lessons learnt both by emergency services and the people living in flood prone areas as in the case of bushfires where there has been a lot of work put in for evacuation plans in remote limited access areas,you would be surprised how many residents in bushy properties thought they will be OK when the RFS and SES did a door knock advising these people.

The SES has been preparing ,upgrading boats introducing more training in floodboat, swiftwater awareness,and technicians so that there are more trained volunteers available, this shows in the amount of rescues performed and the fact that nearly all the fatalities were caused by people ignoring warnings and trying to cross flooded causeways.

We can only hope that there isnt a repeat of this size in the future.

I think everyone agrees that the SES do an excellent job as do the other emergency services involved, we would be lost without all these wonderful people that give their time and energy as well as risk their lives at times. People are just voicing their feelings and their fears of ever being in this situation regarding their pets, if they were faced with the situation so many are currently facing, which hopefully means that we all give it some extra though and it helps us to be prepared if we are ever in a similar situation. I agree people have to come first, although I wouldn't leave my animals I would not want them to take the place of another human if rescue options were limited. I am sure that people who have had to leave pets behind don't want to any more than the rest of us but have to take into consideration other things in their decision to leave. Hopefully they will all be reunited safely.