Except for a solitary goldfish that we've managed not to kill, our household is pet free.
No dogs, cats, gerbils or birds despite the pleas of the offspring. That, however, is not the case with much of Pasco County's domiciles. The pet population is emerging as a leading explanation from readers detailing why they bypassed public shelters during the Aug. 13 mandatory evacuation of west Pasco because of Hurricane Charley.
The sparse turnout at Pasco's public shelters left emergency managers wondering where everybody went. Pasco ordered 168,000 residents of coastal west Pasco as well as mobile home occupants countywide to seek shelter. Approximately 2,400 came to the shelters capable of accommodating 24,437 people.
Last week, the Times invited readers to tell us where they went. In a purely unscientific sampling, 10 or so readers wrote to say domestic pets prevented them from using the shelters housed in public schools and operated by the American Red Cross.
"It is really hard to find a place to bring them (animals) and, to most, they are a member of the family, just like a kid. People will not leave them behind," wrote Debbie Phelps of New Port Richey who spent the storm with her in-laws in central Pasco.
"One male, one dog and one cat equals one family," echoed an e-mail from a resident who stayed home and waited out the storm.
Ruth and Charlie McDougall of Gulf Harbors drove to Tallahassee the evening before Charley made landfall and then continued the next morning along Interstate 10 to Mississippi. They, too, didn't go to a shelter because of their pet.
Pets are prohibited at shelters because of health and hygiene issues. Emergency managers urge pet owners to make accommodation plans at a kennel or with friends in the event of an evacuation. Residents with special needs, who register in advance with the county, can leave their pets at Pasco Animal Control during an evacuation. That, however, is not a large-scale option considering the Land O' Lakes shelter is routinely crowded and takes in 10,000 dogs and cats annually.
Michelle Baker, Pasco's emergency management director, is aware of the cat and dog dilemma. It's one of the issues she tried to address after first coming to Pasco County following Hurricane Andrew in 1992. "We weren't that successful. All we could do is come up with list of clinics and veterinarians that will board and AAA maintains a list of hotels that will take pets," said Baker. "But we're going to have to try again to implement some sort of long-term plan."
Pasco isn't the only locale trying to encourage better evacuation. In Hernando, for instance, emergency managers plan a so-called host-home program intended to help people feel more comfortable during an evacuation. Under the program, clubs and churches will determine which of their members live in an evacuation zone and then try to pair them with host families according to similar interests including religion, animal ownership, or even smoking preference.
Some readers said they won't need any encouragement. As Hurricane Frances dances across the Atlantic, they said they planned to apply the lessons learned from Charley.
"No regrets, we would do it again," wrote Betty A. Reed of Hudson who evacuated to Orlando. "The traffic was horrendous, restaurants full and motels crowed, but with a 91-year-old mother to look after, anything was better than an iffy mobile home."
"I once thought that anywhere not in the wide swath of reds, yellows and oranges on the prediction map was safe and that a category 1 or 2 storm was okay to ride out at home with a 12-pack of beer and a can of Hormel chili," wrote Daniel Ewing of Veterans Village.
He spent Hurricane Charley on work assignment in New Hampshire. His ex-wife and children evacuated to Orlando. His parents' home on a canal to Charlotte harbor survived.
"Charley taught me that hurricanes can change direction and power with amazing agility. Regardless of the category or predicted path of the hurricane I will plan to consume the chili and beer upon my return from Orlando, New Hampshire or wherever else evacuation may take me. Somewhere that is far enough inland for the storm to lose its power or possibly somewhere that is just plain not in Florida. When it comes to saving the lives of my family, I say the best defense against a hurricane that is headed to anywhere on the west coast is to just not be here."
