By Peter Biello
Wilmington, NC – Pender County has taken steps to protect pets in the event of a hurricane.
Pender County opens schools as shelters during hurricanes. Emergency Management Director Eddie King says the county will use a school with an adjacent building to house the animals, but the school has yet to be announced. He says reserving space for pets will keep people from endangering themselves during a hurricane.
They would bring their small pets to the shelter and the animals would stay in the car, and we would actually have people going out to the vehicles during the storm to check on the animal. And there is a level of concern, especially during times of high winds, with people going outside of the shelter.
King says owners will have to register their pets at the shelter, where they will be stored in a separate facility. New Hanover county will also open a shelter for cats and dogs at Noble Middle School.