Haringey Emergency Team gets gold award for animal welfare

Haringey Council has won a top award for putting animal welfare at the centre of plans for dealing with emergencies.

The RSPCA has awarded the council's emergency planning team the Gold Contingency Planning Footprint for its work to ensure the welfare of companion animals during an emergency.

The Gold standard recognises to what extent a council's emergency plan includes working with animal welfare organisations and related groups.

Through these groups, Haringey's emergency planning team has arranged for accommodation to be available for cats and dogs during an incident. Crucially, some of these places are for pets whose inoculations are not up to date,usually making them difficult to place.

The team also takes part in the Pet Preparedness Awareness Campaign which provides a folding z-card (like a credit card)with information for pet owners on what to do during an incident.The card also has a space on which to log details of the animal should it go missing or require a quick handover.

Emergency planning test exercises in the borough have included scenarios involving animals in an effort to prepare staff. However, this was tested in real life during the summer riots in Tottenham. A resident who lost their home needed somewhere safe for her pet to stay while she was in temporary accommodation.

Drawing on the emergency plan, staff at the community centre could offer a range of suitable options where the pet could go.

The RSPCA says is producing a good practice guide focussing on contingency planning in early 2012.