The Saskatchewan SPCA is partnering with several other animal-focused organizations to offer a new webinar educating participants on how to prepare for their animals’ safety in the face of an emergency.
Titled “Animals and Emergencies: Planning for animals in an emergency planning strategy,” the three-part webinar will take place over Zoom from Feb. 2-4, with a one-hour session scheduled for each day.
The purpose of the new webinar, said Saskatchewan SPCA program director Sandra Anderson, is to help share information and experiences on the topic of animals in emergency preparedness.
“Basically, what we’re trying to do is encourage people to start thinking about what happens to you and your animals if there’s a wildfire and your community needs to evacuate, what happens if there’s an extended power outage and you need to shelter at home, what happens if there’s extensive flooding in your area, or some other disaster occurs,” said Anderson.
The webinar will feature several speakers during the sessions, each on a different aspect of emergency responses.
On Feb. 2, Lorraine Serhienko, from the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association (SVMA), will share lessons learned from previous emergency situations, including the Fort McMurray fires in 2016.
On Feb. 3, Ray Unrau, director of the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, will talk about the processes that go into emergency response and recovery operations to support communities.
On Feb. 4, Richmond-area farmer Mel Sehn will share his experience as a rancher during the 2017 wildfire near Burstall, followed by a presentation on coping with the emotional impact of an emergency crisis from wellness counsellor Lauren Van Ewyk.
The Saskatchewan SPCA is pairing with SaskPork, Saskatchewan Cattleman’s Association, SVMA and the Saskatchewan Poultry Council to host the webinar, as emergency preparedness for animals is a topic relevant to more than just pet owners.
“We know we aren’t the only organization involved in animal welfare, there are a lot of other organizations involved in different ways in caring for animals and ensuring their health and safety,” said Anderson. “And we’re quite excited about this series of webinars because it's an opportunity to talk about animals’ welfare from a different perspective.”
Informational seminars are not new to the Saskatchewan SCPA, continued Anderson. The organization often hosts sessions on topics related to animal wellness — including during the organization’s annual conference that was, due to the pandemic, cancelled this year.
Emergency preparedness is a new topic, however, with the upcoming webinar the first time the SPCA has gathered together experts to talk about its importance.
“We’re really just encouraging people to stop and think a little bit about what happens in an emergency situation and get them thinking about what they can do now to prepare,” said Anderson.
Interested participants can find more information on “Animals and Emergencies” by visiting the Saskatchewan SPCA’s website, where they can also register to take part in any of the upcoming webinar's sessions. The cost is $15 per session if registered by Jan. 22, after which it will increase to $20 per session.
“These webinars are really of interest to anyone, whether you’re a pet owner, or if you’re involved with animal rescue, if you’re a livestock producer or maybe you’re involved with emergency planning in your town or RM,” said Anderson. “[We encourage] taking part in the webinar, it might just be something interesting and different for you.”
