Monsoon preparedness workshop raises awareness on helping pets, communities during disasters

The Hindu

3 days ago

With intense rain continuing to lash across the State, a monsoon preparedness workshop was held at Kottathara in the landslide-hit Wayanad to boost grassroots-level disaster resilience.
Kottathara faces frequent floods and landslides.
The 2018 floods claimed over 150 animals, highlighting the urgent need for animal-inclusive disaster risk reduction, according to figures.
Noted animal campaigner, Humane World for Animals India (formerly called Humane Society International India) carried out the preparedness training programme to raise awareness of the need to protect animals during disasters like floods and landslides.
The workshop was held in collaboration with Kottathara village panchayat, the outfit said in a statement.
The session was attended by 35 volunteers of Kudumbashree, the empowerment network, from flood-prone wards of Kottathara.
The event, inaugurated by panchayat president Raneeesh P.P., featured expert-led sessions on basic preparedness measures, hazard mapping, animal first aid, and evacuation.
The training's educational objectives included identifying flood-prone zones, mapping potential temporary sheltering locations, forming a ward-based network of trained 'animal responders,' and distributing awareness materials in Malayalam and English, it said.
Nayana Scaria, coordinator, Humane World for Animals India, said a well-prepared community is the strongest defense against disasters.
There is a lot of sense of relief in empowering the community, helping them to become first responders to tackle crisis situations. By co-learning with them and respecting their way of life, we build resilience, protecting both lives and livelihoods,' she said.
'Safeguarding animals is not just compassion but is vital for families who see them as kin and depend on them for survival,' she added.
A special session was led by Dr. Ratheesh from Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University), who demonstrated practical animal care techniques for emergencies.
Lissy George, a Kudumbashree member who attended the workshop, said during the 2018-19 floods, they did not know how to rescue pets, and that had a serious impact on our community in Kottathara panchayat.
'But through this workshop, we have gained a clear understanding of how to protect animals during disasters. We learned about animal first aid, the disaster-prone areas in each ward, and the safe locations where animals can be relocated,' the statement said, quoting her.