Minnesota Animal Disaster Coalition

(MN-ADC)

We need volunteers!

MN-ADC is a coalition of organizations and volunteers formed to provide planning and assistance for emergency situations where animals are involved.

Organizations participating in MN-ADC include: the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Minnesota Animal Control Association (MACA), The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), The Animal Humane Society (AHS), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the American Humane Association (AHA), the American Red Cross ARC), the Minnesota Horse Council, Wildlife Rescue and Release (WRR) and many others.

MN-ADC has developed the official State of Minnesota animal emergency plan, put in place in 2003.

One component of the state plan involves planning for assistance to animals in the event of a radiological event at either of the two nuclear power plants in Minnesota (the Prairie Island plant near Red Wing and the Monticello plant).

In the event of a release of low-level radioactive material from one of the plants, thousands of people may be evacuated from an area near the plants. People will be instructed to take their pets with them. People and pets will be screened for radioactive dust contamination at a designated reception center, and decontaminated as necessary. Decontamination consists of showering with water.

What We Need From Volunteers Is:

  • People willing to assist in rinsing down contaminated pets at reception centers for evacuees’ pets.
  • Volunteers will attend a short training session (a one-time session); date(s) not set as yet, but probably sometime in early 2004.
  • Volunteers will participate in a mock disaster drill once a year, alternating between the reception centers in Maple Grove/Osseo and Cottage Grove (an evening event).
  • Volunteers should be available to respond to the reception centers in the Twin Cities area within a reasonable time in the event they are called upon.
  • Volunteers should have skills with handling dog and cats (and if possible, other pets) in stressful situations. We are especially recruiting humane society, animal control, veterinary and pet grooming personnel.

 

NOTE: THIS PLAN IS FOR LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVITY ONLY—AT NO TIME WILL VOLUNTEERS BE SUBJECTED TO HIGH RADIATION LEVELS—SUCH SITUATIONS ARE NOT HANDLED BY ANY VOLUNTEER GROUPS, AND ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE TYPE OF RELEASE THAT COULD OCCUR AT THESE FACILITIES.

If you are not interested in volunteering for this training, there is still a need for a volunteer pool to help staff emergency animal shelters in the event of other emergencies, such as floods, tornadoes, etc. If you are interested, please contact MACA.

To volunteer, or for more information, contact MACA at:

(952) 563-4940

maca@minnesotaanimalcontrol.org

 © 2008, Minnesota Animal Control Association