10/08/2026
The veterinary school at Auburn has a task force ready to furnish any emergency needs resulting from a tragic storm. See below.
As the developing storm in the Gulf has the potential to impact the Mobile area and surrounding communities, the Auburn Veterinary Emergency Response Team (AVERT) wants you to know that we are here to support you and your practice before, during, and following the storm.
While the storm's ultimate path and severity remain uncertain, now is the time to communicate with your clients and encourage them to finalize their preparedness plans.
For veterinary practices, we encourage you to:
Communicate with clients today regarding their individual preparedness and evacuation plans.
Evaluate hospitalized patients and boarding animals and determine whether evacuation or relocation should occur before conditions deteriorate.
Ensure you have plans for the continued care of animals that cannot be evacuated.
Communicate with staff regarding your practice's emergency plans and expectations.
Review of insurance policies of the practice.
Consider what supplies, medications, equipment, or other resources may be needed if normal veterinary services are disrupted.
Consider placing one DVM in charge of the controls and an inventory of those controlled drugs before removing from the practice should you evacuate.
Consider keeping some cash on hand in case of a prolonged power outage that disrupts ATMs, credit card processing, or other electronic banking services.
For livestock owners, we recommend:
Moving livestock out of flood-prone pastures and other areas that may become inaccessible or unsafe.
Ensuring livestock trailers are in good working order and ready for use.
Developing an evacuation plan today, including where animals will be relocated and how they will be transported.
Ensuring all livestock have appropriate identification to facilitate reunification should animals become displaced. (microchip, EID tags, Cattle tags braided into horse mane)
Encourage producers to secure or remove any loose objects, equipment, and materials on the property that could be displaced by hurricane-force winds and potentially injure livestock.
For pet owners, we recommend:
Taking pets with you if you evacuate. Do not leave pets behind when seeking safety.
Ensuring all pets have appropriate identification, including collars/tags and microchip information when available.
Identifying and labeling pet carriers and ensuring they are readily accessible.
Keeping photographs of you with your pet. These photographs can be extremely helpful if you and your animal become separated and may assist with reunification following the storm.
Having a two week supply of necessary medications, food, water, and other essential supplies readily available.
Pet owners should keep a current copy of their pet’s medical records readily accessible and take them along if evacuating.
Below you will find documents that you may use at your disposal for disaster relief prep and evacuation.
How AVERT can support you
Following the storm, AVERT is prepared to assist veterinary professionals and communities as needs arise. Depending on the circumstances and resources available, our support may include:
Assessing animal and veterinary needs in affected areas.
Conducting needs assessments and identifying critical resource gaps.
Helping identify and coordinate needed supplies and resources.
Providing temporary veterinary support, when necessary and requested, to help practices care for their patients until they are able to resume normal operations.
Assisting with animal-related response and recovery efforts in coordination with local, state, and emergency-management partners.
Our goal is to support you—not replace you—and to help veterinary practices and animal owners recover as quickly and safely as possible.
We will continue to monitor the storm and coordinate with emergency-management partners as the situation develops. If your practice is impacted and you need assistance following the storm, please reach out to your local county Emergency Management Agency to request support from AVERT so we can help assess your needs and deploy to your area should you need our assistance.
The Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine will be providing timely information today for veterinary practices, pet owners, and livestock producers as an additional resource to help you and your clients prepare for the storm and support your practice before, during, and following the storm.
Please take the time today to communicate with your clients, staff, and families and make the necessary preparations. Early planning can make a significant difference in the safety and well-being of both people and animals.
My best,
Chance Armstrong, DVM, MS, DACT
ALVMA Emergency Management Chair
