Animal-Related Emergency Response

Find information for animal owners about disaster preparedness, disaster recovery, and animal sheltering during an emergency.

Emergency Support Function 17 (Animal and Agricultural Issues)

Florida law establishes the Florida Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan [ Adobe PDF Document ] as the framework through which the state handles emergencies and disasters. The plan defines the responsibilities of government, private, volunteer and non-governmental organizations into 18 Emergency Support Functions (ESFs). The plan selects the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) as the lead agency for ESF 17, which coordinates the state’s response efforts for animal and agricultural issues. ESF 17 mission areas include domestic animal, wildlife and pet issues, pre-harvest agricultural issues, food safety, and vector control issues.

ESF 17 and the Florida State Agricultural Response Team

To fulfill its responsibilities as lead to ESF 17, FDACS facilitated the development of the Florida State Agricultural Response Team (SART) as a planning, training and response support group for ESF 17. Florida SART supports an effective and coordinated incident response for the animal and agricultural sectors in the state of Florida.

FLSART Website
SART: Building Partnerships (Video)
SART: State Agricultural Response (Video)

Animal Movement and Quarantine

State law gives FDACS the authority to establish, maintain and enforce animal quarantine areas in Florida. FDACS may restrict, regulate or prohibit the movement or transportation of animals found, determined or suspected to be carriers of any contagious, infectious or communicable disease, or vectors of such disease, into, from and within such quarantine areas, when necessary, for the prevention, control or eradication of any contagious, infectious or communicable disease among domestic or wild animals.

FDACS is responsible for responding to animal health emergencies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and FDACS work in partnership to protect the state from animal pests and diseases that could be of major economic or public health concern.

Emergency Response Resources

General Information

Disaster Handbook (University of Florida)
Disaster Planning: Ready.gov
Florida Division of Emergency Management
Florida Emergency Information Line: 1-800-342-3557
Hurricanes and Other Tropical Storms Information (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)