Urgent Tips for Protecting Animals During Tropical Storm

For Immediate Release:
June 7, 2020

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

As Tropical Storm Cristobal approaches, bringing heavy rain, PETA is using a reminder that people should never leave dogs tethered or penned outside, and should take their animal companions with them if they have to evacuate.

Believe it or not, every time there’s a natural disaster, many dogs and other animal companions are left outside to fend for themselves and left behind when humans evacuate. Dogs kept tethered will swim to exhaustion and then drown, and there are tethered dogs everywhere. PETA’s Animal Rescue Team has witnessed firsthand the trauma that animals endure when left behind to face floodwaters and flying debris. During previous storms, we have found dogs dead. We have also found them up to their necks in water, unable to sit or lie down, in almost-submerged crates inside houses and seen animals who have been flung around in high winds. And of course, animals are petrified in these kinds of weather conditions.

PETA’s natural disaster-preparedness PSA is available here. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Cities that have been alerted to PETA’s tropical storm survival tips include Biloxi and Jackson, MS; Little Rock, AR; and Jacksonville, FL .