BE PREPARED

Adopt-A-Dog Emergency Preparedness Plan with
North Castle Earns Congressional Proclamation

On August 24, 2007, Adopt-A-Dog, Inc. was awarded a Congressional Proclamation by Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey for its unique and important emergency sheltering partnership for pets with the Town of North Castle, the first of its kind in Westchester County and one of a very few in either New York State or Connecticut. Local, county, state and federal representatives joined together at the Adopt-A-Dog Animal Shelter in Armonk, New York to celebrate the “North Castle and Adopt-A-Dog Alliance”.

Experience during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita revealed that when given a choice between their own personal safety and abandoning their household pets, a significant number of people chose to risk their own lives in order to remain with their pets. To ensure that North Castle, the town where the shelter is based, is prepared to shelter residents who have pets, the Town’s Emergency Plan has been expanded to provide emergency sheltering for residents’ pets. The plan is consistent with a 2006 Federal PETS Act that calls for cities and states to detail in disaster preparedness programs the accommodation of households with pets or service animals.

Adopt-A-Dog has agreed to serve as the lead emergency pet shelter when the Town of North Castle activates the human sheltering component of the Emergency Operations Plan during declared emergencies such as fires, extended power outages, hurricanes and other events. The plan means that residents of North Castle who have pets will be able to utilize the Adopt-A-Dog shelter as safe haven for their animals during local emergencies. North Castle residents who stay at the North Castle human shelter will be provided sheltering for their pets at the Adopt-A-Dog location at 23 Cox Ave.
 
North Castle Town Supervisor Reese Berman said of the partnership, “This relationship is further example of the Town’s efforts to ensure its residents have the best possible sheltering options during emergencies. It is a visible and important statement of Adopt-A-Dog’s commitment to the Town of North Castle and its residents.”

Adopt-A-Dog’s co-founder and president Donna Nives said, “I am a very happy lady that we have become such a viable and credible presence in the community, that we are really a part of North Castle.”