Pet Evacuation in South Tampa for Hurricane Irma

There is a lot of misinformation on the web about evacuating pets during Hurricane Irma.

In Hillsborough County, you do have options in terms of pet-friendly shelters but you must plan ahead.

While the City of Tampa does not operate shelters where pets may stay, the county does and they are located at the following:

Burnett Middle School
1010 N. Kingsway Road, Seffner, FL 33584

Sgt. Smith Middle School
14303 Citrus Pointe Drive, Tampa, FL 33625

Bartels Middle School
9020 Imperial Oak Blvd., Tampa, FL 33647

Shields Middle School
15732 Beth Shields Way, Ruskin, FL 33573

Space is very limited for Pets in Hurricane Evacuation Shelters

In the event of an evacuation order in your area, you will need to move quickly to the closest shelter, which might be a 30-60 minute drive or more from your home in South Tampa.

It is important to have other options as well, and it would be a good idea to first reach out to friends or neighbors in non-coastal areas in Hillsborough County like Brandon, Valrico, or any area in the yellow, green, purple, or gray areas on the Hillsborough County Evacuation Map.

This, of course, assumes that any evacuation would be limited to Zone A (Red) and Zone B (Orange). Be sure to visit the Hillsborough County Evacuation Map to fully understand your evacuation area, and that of your friends through out the county.

You may also wish to research pet boarding facilities along your evacuation route.

What to bring if you are evacuating your pet during Hurricane Irma

According to Hillsborough County, here are the things you will need to bring if you are evacuating with a pet in South Tampa.

• Proof of current rabies vaccination and registration tag
• Sturdy carrier
• Supplies (food, medications, toys, comfort items etc.) to sustain your pet for the duration of the emergency

They also have a number of other tips in the Protect Pets in Disaster guide. I’ve included just a small sample of those tips below.

• For dogs: leash, collar, muzzles and current rabies tag securely fastened.
  Minimum 7-day supply of food and water per pet and a non-electric can
  opener, if possible.
• Sturdy but lightweight bowls for food and water.
• Kitty litter, newspapers and plastic bags for waste disposal.
• Paper towels, bleach, and hand-sanitizer also suggested.
• Pet medications and refills including flea, tick and heartworm preventatives.
• Comfort items, such as toys or blankets

In any event, have a plan to evacuate your pets in South Tampa.

Having a plan should help you calmly deal with any emergency that is created from Hurricane Irma. Stay alert, the best place for information about our local situation is the City of Tampa Page on Facebook and you can also sign up for Alert Tampa updates via phone or email.

Everyone at South Tampa Teardowns hopes this information helps you with your emergency planning in light of Hurricane Irma.

Robert Wilson
EXIT Bayshore Realty
813-784-4199