Animals In Disaster agencies proposition
You are a government-related agency and you have an interest integrating animals into your efforts.
You, perhaps more than any, are on the front lines of learning regarding how to deal wiht animal in disaster.
Your Emergency Operations Center is designed based on the standard methods for emergency response. The problem is that there is a conflict between your EMS group's focus on safeguarding human life and the human-animal bond that sometimes exists in a way to challenge your human safety focus.
The key learning is that the traditional view of animals as commodities doesn't work. The opportunity is to reconcile the human focus you have traditionally assumed with the more personal issue of animals in disaster.
Animal-related agengies are an integral part of the animal community. Supporting and observing individuals, groups, families, neighborhoods, and communities in their learning can go a long way to finding the right balance and integrating animals into your emergency planning.