It would be the first shelter in St. Lucie County available for pets and their owners.
Emergency Management Coordinator Don Freedland said the city had a tentative agreement with a church to use its community room to house dogs, cats and birds."I don't want St. Lucie County to go through another year without a pet shelter," he said Friday.
Other counties in South Florida such as Broward and Miami-Dade have pet-friendly shelters available for their residents, Freedland noted.
"We have a lot smaller population than some other counties; there's no reason we can't accomplish this," he said. In past hurricanes, some special-needs residents were hesitant to leave their pets behind because there wasn't an appropriate shelter for them, so they stayed home, he said. After past storms, homeless animals fled buildings and roamed city streets disoriented and possibly injured, he said.
The shelter would be staffed by city animal control officers to feed and exercise the animals, and would be free of charge. Residents should expect to give proof of proper vaccinations and sign a waiver that the city is not liable for the animals, Freedland said.
Owners would need to bring their own cages. Preregistration with the city would ensure a spot.
City residents would have first priority, then residents in St. Lucie County.
The Public Works and Animal Control departments will present specifics at the City Council retreat at the end of January.
City officials would entertain other private groups' facilities to use as pet shelters, said Freedland, who is also the city Public Works director.
More hurricane preparedness information will be offered at an expo at the Community Center May 19.
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