PRESS RELEASE For Immediate release: 5:30 PM Friday, August 29, 2008 For more information contact: Name: Brennan Matherne Phone: (985) 537-7603 Change in Pet Evacuation Plan Evacuees will be brought to Marshalling Point, not Animal Shelter Lafourche Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness will ONLY be assisting with the evacuation of pets from those residents who need transportation. The Parish will NOT be taking any pets from residents who are evacuating on their own. Those residents MUST take their pets with them in their own vehicles. For pet owners who cannot provide their own transportation, the Lafourche Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness has issued the following guidelines for the evacuation of pets: * Pet owners needing Parish Transportation to evacuate will be transported along with their pets to a Parish Marshalling Point. There, pet owners will be registered with their pets. The pets will remain at the marshalling point until the State picks up the pets to bring them to a designated shelter. * Pet owners are responsible for supplying kennel, crate, food, medications, and any other supplies needed for pets. * Any pet considered a risk to other animals or people will not be admitted to the shelter. * Each pet owner is responsible for expenses incurred if medical attention is required for staff or other pets as a result of their pet’s behavior. * Lafourche Parish Government and/or any volunteer agencies handling pets will be held harmless in a change of health condition and/or death of a pet while being transported and housed during the emergency. * Pet must be reclaimed by registered owner by 8 days after the end of the emergency. * If pet is not reclaimed or contact is not made by the owner to make provisions for the pet, the animal will be turned over to the Lafourche Parish Animal Shelter to be treated as abandoned. For further information please contact Brennan Matherne at (985) 537-7603.