Animal Multi-Agency Coordination Group
The Animal Multi-Agency Coordination Group (Animal MAC-G) is comprised of government agencies, non-profits, and private organizations working together to build and maintain disaster preparedness for animals and their people in the Portland Metropolitan Region.
Chair: Stacy Smejkal, Washington County Animal Services
Vice Chair: Vacant
Background
In a natural disaster or other emergencies, the timely and safe evacuation of people, their animals, and livestock is a top priority. We know from events like Hurricane Katrina that people won’t evacuate or seek shelter if there isn’t a way out or a place to go for their animals. For this reason, Congress passed the PETS Act, authorizing FEMA to provide rescue, care, shelter, and essential needs for individuals with household pets and service animals, as well as to the household pets and animals themselves, following a major disaster or emergency.
Local Coordination
The Animal MAC-G exists at the local level to prepare regional animal welfare agencies and nonprofits to coordinate their response and resources in any emergency. Our goal is to make sure there is always a way for pet and livestock owners to safely evacuate, seek shelter, and return to their homes at the conclusion of an emergency.
The Animal MAC-G can self-activate when needed, independent of emergency declarations, thanks to existing mutual aid agreements between jurisdictions and regional animal-welfare nonprofits. This functionality enables group members to serve each other and respond with necessary resources for any emergency event.
Core Functions
Assessing regional capabilities and needs for animals and their people.
Developing and implementing projects, initiatives, or policies related to regional Animal Services.
Implementing and maintaining an approved work plan in alignment with the RDPO regional strategy.
Maintaining a shared knowledge and inventory of regional resources for animals, including shelter facilities, transport vehicles, personnel available to respond in emergencies, and essential sheltering, veterinary, and rescue equipment.
Providing Animal Services subject matter expertise and perspective to the development of the RDPO’s regional disaster preparedness strategy and policies.
Collaborating with other RDPO taskforces on regional programs and animal issues.
Maintaining a forum for networking, information-sharing, and learning through presentations, discussion, training, and exercises.
Contact Us
To participate in or get more information about the Animal MAC-G, email rdpo-animal-mac-rdpo-@googlegroups.com.
The Animal Mac-G in Action
Multnomah County Animal Services Officers coordinate with Sound Equine Options staff and volunteers, evacuating livestock from Corbett to the Clackamas County Fairgrounds.
During the Eagle Creek Fire in September 2017, Animal MAC-G members from multiple jurisdictions and nonprofits coordinated the evacuation and sheltering of over 500 livestock, and domestic animals colocated with their owners at emergency shelters.
The Emergency Operations Center’s Support Function for animals (ESF-17) was staffed in shifts by Animal MAC-G members from Washington County, Oregon Humane Society, and Multnomah County. Multnomah County Animal Services Officers worked with Sound Equine Options staff and volunteers to evacuate animals. Meanwhile, Clackamas County staff and volunteers set up an emergency livestock shelter at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds.
Training - Equipment Show and Tell
Animal MAC-G members met in February 2020 for a special training and equipment “show and tell’ to familiarize each other with shared resources and capabilities.
