AKC Pet Disaster Relief Trailer for Bastrop County

Bastrop County Animal Services is pleased to announce the receipt of an AKC Pet Disaster Relief Trailer in August 2020.  The trailer was made possible by donations of $6,000 each from the Austin Kennel Club and the Travis County Kennel Club and by grants from the AKC Humane Fund and AKC Reunite.

The mobile AKC Pet Disaster Relief trailers deliver essential, nonperishable necessities for sheltering pets when and where needed by local emergency management.  The trailers provide animal care services during the first critical hours following a disaster, before FEMA support and services can be deployed.  Here in central Texas, those emergencies can be from fires, tornados, and flooding.  Public health emergencies are also included.  Bastrop County and Travis County officials will coordinate on deployment when or if a need arises in our area. 

Here’s a link to the story in the Elgin Courier

The AKC Pet Disaster Relief Trailer will be making special appearances at local AKC Events

The AKC Pet Disaster Relief trailer is stocked with essential supplies to create a safe, temporary home-base for at least 65 displaced animals directly after a disaster is declared.  The trailer has lighting and is wired for electricity, to run off either a generator or 110v power supply.  

Typical trailer contents include:

• Administrative Supplies: Log books, volunteer registration forms, wrist/collar bands, check-in materials
• Maintenance Equipment: Batteries, gas can, duct tape
• Animal Care Items: Crates packed on rolling dollies for easy set-up, cat carriers, litter, microchips and scanner, bowls, collars and leashes
• Equipment: Fans, generator, lighting,
• Cleaning Supplies: Mop, hose, trash can, tarps, litter boxes, disinfectants
• Access to Training Materials: Turnkey implementation of co-located shelters and pop-up reunion centers, volunteer mobilization, decontamination and replenishment

The trailer is outfitted to create one of two types of animal shelters:

• Co-location Shelters:  A shelter that houses both humans and their animal companions.  The people housed at the shelter are responsible for their animal’s general care.
• Lost and Found Pet Shelters:  Displaced animals are housed in what often becomes a pop-up reunion center as people and animals are reunited.  Approved volunteers and shelter staff provide animal care.