We're in the heart of summer storm season. And if thunder and lightning make you nervous, imagine what it does to some poor dogs.

Storm phobias are a common behavior issue that many pet owners face. A 2001 article from the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, reporting on a survey of pet parents, suggested herding dogs such as collies and German shepherds, and hounds such as beagles and bassets, may be more likely to suffer storm phobias.

Rescued animals also may be more at risk, perhaps due to previous abuse, poor socialization or bad experiences. Our cat Frances Jeanne, who spent Hurricane Frances abandonned and crying under my co-workers house, is anxious whenever bad weather is raging outside our windows. Some dogs -- such as the now famous Marley, from the book Marley and Me -- are driven to panic by storms, shredding furniture and carpets, and even breaking windows.

Our natural reaction would be to "comfort" our stressed-out dog, but animal behaviorists advise against this, as it sounds like praise to your pup -- further increasing his anxiety and convincing him something is wrong. Instead, try to act as normal as possible.
Some vets suggest trying calming pheromones, which can be dispersed through a diffuser or be put in a container that attaches to your pets collar. Create a "safe haven" in a crate, where you pet can go during a storm. You can try "white noise," such as running a fan or playing a radio softly. Medication may be needed, although usually a last resort.

But you also could try another path: A jacket, or wrap, designed to quiet your dog.
The Storm Defender is a red cape, with a metallic lining that reduces the static charge that can build up in a dog's fur due to lightning. The cape works on the theroy that the static makes the animal anxious, as he associates it with the approaching storm.
Price: $54.99 to $64.99, with a guaranteed refund if it doesnt' work.

Below is a MSNBC-TV clip about storm-phobias, including a demonstration of the Storm Defender.

Somewhat similar to the Storm Defender cape is the Anxiety Wrap.
No metallic lining here. The wrap, which looks like a tight sweatshirt, calms your pet and helps him focus by maintaining a gentle pressure on the body, its creator says.

Price: $64.99 to $74.99. There are models for dogs and cats.

Want more info on storm phobias and dogs?

Here is an excellent article from PetEducation.com that gives a lot of details about what causes phobias and how you can help you dog overcome them.

Some methods involve behavior modification, however. So consult with your vet so you can follow the right routine.

So: Anyone out there tried any of these jacket, wrap devices? Do they work? Any other tips on helping our pets deal with storm phobias?
A glass of chardonnay may work for me but, alas, no good for them.

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We don't like Ike!!!

State officials second that emotion. Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles Bronson has just announced the state is suspending requirements for transporting animals across state lines, in hopes it will encourage Florida residents not to leave their pets behind or their large animals unattended.

Georgia and Alabama also have agreed to accept livestock evacuated from Florida.

The suspension only applies to those living in regions expected to be impacted by Hurricane Ike.

If your a pet owner, you need to start scrambling if you live in Ike's predicted path but don't know where you can go that will accept your animals. Remember that most Red Cross shelters in our area do not allow pets, and you need to be registered to go to one of the pet friendly shelters.

Click here for a previous SSS! post on pet-friendly shelters:

Click here for another previous post that has a good link to a listing of pet-friendly hotels.

And keep reading for more tips just released from the state Department of Agriculture.

Stay safe, all.

First thing on my to-do list tomorrow is to get a mild kitty Valium from our vet, in case we have to evacuate and cannot get Frances Jeanne into her lovely new spacious crate (which is very likely.) I hope Dr. Cindi puts an extra pill in there for me. :-)

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Just when I’m convinced we (the human “we”) never learn anything, something comes along that makes me rethink that stance.

Take the recent response to Hurricane Gustav.
Not only did a record number of Louisiana residents (including my brother’s family) hit the road as the storm drew near. Most were able to take their animals with them. It was a far different scenario than what unfolded pre and post-Katrina, which struck New Orleans almost a year ago to the day that Gustav arrived.

I remember having to watch, over and over again, the video clip where a crying young boy leaves behind his tiny dog, Snowball, as he’s hustled onto a bus evacuating residents from the city. The final shot is Snowball, jumping toward the bus steps as the door slams shut.

Didn’t see that kind of footage this year.

Animal welfare organizations from around the country joined forces to give residents options as Gustav approached. They assisted with evacuating hundreds of dogs and cats from shelters in threatened areas, including New Orleans, to safer quarters.

Here is a video from the Humane Society of the United States about one of three massive temporary shelters that were set up before Gustav. This one in Shreveport could accommodate up 1,000 dogs and cats, with housing nearby for their owners.

More people living in hurricane-prone areas seem to be including their pets in their disaster planning. Both Broward and Palm Beach counties have pet-friendly emergency shelters, although some have questioned if they are large enough if a serious storm threatens.

Disaster housing for pets doesn’t just save animal lives. It saves human ones, too. Many people died in Katrina because they had no way to leave the city with their animal companions, and refused to go without them.

Thanks to all the first responders who recognize that animals, too, need assistance when disaster arises.

Keep reading for a story from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram over the weekend on New Orleans evacuation efforts for pets.

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For those of us who might have been in denial: It's pretty clear that we indeed are in the heart of hurricane season now, with Gustav heading toward the Gulf Coast and Hannah barreling through the Atlantic.

Does your family hurricane plan include your pets? And if you have to evacuate, to you have somewhere to go that will take your animals, too?

The FloridaPets Web site is a great resource, with information about pet-friendly hotels (a SSS! reader previously mentioned the La Quinta chain) and emergency shelters that allow dogs and cats. Click here to take a look. It also includes a good hurricane checklist for pet owners.

And I would be interested in hearing from any SSS! readers about their disaster planning tips that get left off the usual list.

Post them in the comments and I'll compile a list.

Here are two of mine:

* Take a minute as you prepare for the storm and vacuum your house well. If you lose power for a week or two, the pet hair is going to pile up pretty fast. You'll be better off if you start with a clean floor.

* If you have cats, they may have to stay in their cage or crate for several days. So get one big enough to accomodate a small litter box. We have one made for a large dog that folds flat when not in use, and I'm buying another one today.

Stay safe!

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Hurricane season is approaching. Here is a story about a Hurricane Katrina survivor, Molly the Pony, who went on to inspire a video and book that's just been published.

The gray speckled pony was abandonned by her owners as Katrina bore down on their farm in southern Louisiana. Molly was taken to a farm, where other animal hurricane survivors were being sheltered. She was attacked there by a pit bull, her jawed and belly ripped open and her legs bitten. Veterinarians were overwhelmed caring for the thousands of creatures orphaned by the storm, and it looked like Molly might have to be euthanized.

But Dr. Allison Barca, a horse vet, refused to give up on the tenacious pony. Barca convinced the Louisiana State University's veterinary hospital to outfit Molly with a prosthetic leg, replacing the mangled one that had become infected

Click here to read the rest of Molly's story, on Snopes,com.There also are links to a video of Molly in action today and a description of the new book, by the editor of the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association's newsletter, about her. Molly also has inspired children with spina bifda and other medical conditions that require them to use braces or prosthetic devices -- they can't believe the little horse is dealing with the same things they are.

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For National Pet Week, here is Tip Number Two:

Your animal companions depend on you to keep them safe during storm season, which beings next month. If your hurricane plan doesn't include your pets, get going. And don't assume that the evacuation plan you put into place for your pets last year will work for this one.

Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League of the Palm Beaches, for example, this year is providing emergency shelter only for pets whose owners are elderly or disabled and need to evacuate to a special care facility, or for animals belonging to emergency personnel who must work during the storm. Last year, the league facility offered disaster housing for a $100 donation.

Red Cross hurricane shelters do not allow animals. But both Broward and Palm Beach counties again will each have one designated pet-friendly shelter for people living in evacuation zones or mobile homes. You must register in advance. Even if you registered last year, shelter managers advise that you sign up again this year so they can get a good head count.
To register in Broward, call the Humane Society of Broward County's Hurricane Hotline at 954-266-6871. Or call 954-989-3977.

In Palm Beach County, call the county's Animal Care and Control division at 561-233-1266. Or click here for more information.

In Miami-Dade County, call 786-331-5354.

Pet-friendly shelters do not allow livestock or exotic pets, like reptiles, so make other plans for these critters. Palm Beach's county shelter requires pets to be microchipped and for you to bring flea prevention medication like Advantage (not sure yet about the others). All shelters require proof of a current rabies vaccine and proof that you live in an evacuation zone.

The shelters require you to have a carrier that is big enough for your pet to stand up in and turn around. If you have a cat, it should be big enough to contain a litter box. This is a good idea regardless of where you spend the storm if you're not at home. We have a large collapsable soft-sided model that, fortunately, we haven't had to use so far. Big enough to crate a large dog, it stores flat in the attic. We have a second large cat carrier, so one cat can ride in that and the other in the crate until we get to our destination.

Other necessities: A current photo of your pet, in case it gets lost, and emergency contact information for your veterinarian.

If you decide to shelter you pet at a kennel or your veterinarian, make arrangements far in advance, as in now. Ask if the kennel is in a flood zone, if they have an evacuation plan and if someone will be there with the animals during the storm.

You need to get your family to safety if a major hurricane is approaching. But please, please, don't leave your animals at home alone. They're your family, too. So many pet owners who went through Hurricane Katrina said they thought they would be back by the next morning when, after putting out some food and water, they walked out the door. Many never saw their pets again.

I will leave it up to you if you want to see by clicking here, among the photos of animals being rescued by PETA workers during Katrina, those of pets found dead, including a dog that had been tethered inside a flooded house. If you need motivation to get going on your pet's hurricane plan, this should do it.

Any other hurricane tips? Speak!

(Above photo of dogs being rescued in New Orleans by Mario Toma, Getty Images)

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