Contact:
Texas Animal Health Commission
Box l2966 * Austin, Texas 78711 * (800) 550-8242 * FAX (512) 719-0719
Bob Hillman, DVM * Executive Director
For info, contact Carla Everett, information officer, at 1-800-550-8242,
ext. 710, or ceverett@tahc.state.tx.us

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and the Texas State Animal Resource Team (TXSART) continue to address animal issues resulting from Hurricane Ike. An Area Command was established in the TAHC headquarters Thursday, and can be reached at 800-550-8242, ext. 296. The TAHC Area Command coordinates with the State Operations Center at the Governor's Division of Emergency Management through agency personnel assigned to the SOC.

TAHC staff members in the path of Hurricane Ike have checked in, and are either continuing to work with their disaster district committees, or are prepared to deploy with the state's incident management teams to assess damage and begin response. TAHC Area Command has pre-staged field personnel from unaffected parts of the state in safe areas and will deploy these personnel to areas where the need is most critical when the SOC authorizes entry for assessment and response.

Sheltering numbers are still being tallied, but as an example, in Brazos County, the large animal shelter has 161 horses, three cattle and four pigs; while the small animal shelter contains 173 dogs, 93 cats and 16 exotics. In addition to pre-designated shelters, the TAHC has received numerous offers of sheltering space from livestock owners with pasture or barn space and from the Cedar Valley College's Veterinary Technology program. With their permission, this information has been forwarded to the 2-1-1 operators, who are providing evacuees with human and animal sheltering information.

Prior to the hurricane strike, the TAHC contacted industry representatives and the private practice veterinary clinics in 21 counties, to assess potential post-storm needs that might arise, and to alert the veterinarians of possible assistance that could be available through TAHC and TXSART. The TAHC has requested practitioners to report in when possible on conditions post-storm. The Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) has pre-staged a limited number of generators which can be deployed to veterinarians with critical needs.

The TXSART is working the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal Care representative is to acquire and coordinate the assistance of trained personnel from Florida and some animal care organizations to assist with both large and small animal issues. The TAHC also has sourced pet cages from Louisiana to augment local sheltering capacity.

Updates will be provided as new information becomes available and assessment teams are able to report damages and needs for assistance.