Escape Policy and Procedures
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 02:09:35 -0600 Subject: FEL-L: Escape protocol!
Hey folks, Some of you might be interested in this?
Tiger Missing Link Foundation Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge
Emergency Escape Policy Brian Werner, Terri Block, and other contributors
Big Cat Escapes
No matter how well designed your Big Cat facility is for containing Big Cats, either through accidents or acts of God, Big Cats sometimes get out of their enclosures. It is important to respond immediately in a calm and professional manner in order to protect wildlife refuge staff and visiting public, and to return the Big Cat safely to its home. To accomplish this, it is imperative that each wildlife refuge develop and practice its Big Cat escape policy. Below is a sample Big Cat escape policy which institutions can modify for their own use.
Big Cat Escape Policy
A Big Cat that escapes from its proper holding area is to be responded to immediately. Big Cats are housed in a variety of areas, which include exhibits, cages (large and small), and holding areas. When a Big Cat escapes from one of these areas into a service or public area or into an animal exhibit, an emergency protocol must be in place. Big Cats are wild animals and dangerous.
I. EMERGENCY PROTOCOL: When it is determined that a Big Cat has escaped, do the following:
A. STAY CALM! Your composure or lack of it will affect the performance of others.
B. Attempt to confine the Big Cat.
1. If possible, confine the animal into a service area with access for it to return to its enclosure. Many times, given the opportunity, the Big Cat will go back to its cage.
2. Try to contain the Big Cat where you can -- be careful.
3. If you have confined the animal, be sure the surrounding area is secured. If this means closing a building, do it.
4. Do not try to return the escaped animal by yourself. Monitor the animal's location until help arrives.
C. If you cannot confine the animal, summon help as quickly as possible, but stay in the area to monitor the animal's location and keep unauthorized people out of the area.
D. Do not excite the animal. Keep your distance.
E. Several institutions have an alarm system. This should be activated as soon as possible in an emergency situation. Wildlife refuge personnel must respond immediately to the alarm.
F. All personnel involved in a "Big Cat Escape" should use extreme caution at all times.
II. SPECIFIC RESPONSE:
1. Reporting Big Cat Escape:
1. Find the nearest wildlife refuge employee (preferably management or a keeper) and have him or her go for help.
2. Information about the Big Cat Escape should include:
1. Location of Big Cat.
2. Type of Big Cat that is loose.
3. Is Big Cat confined, example: within the perimeter fencing or between buildings, etc.?
4. If Big Cat is on the move, where and in what direction, what section, gate number, moving North, South, etc.?
3. Except as a last resort, do not ask a visitor to report an escape. Rather, ask them to send another employee to you and have that employee make the report.
2. Reports of an animal escape should go to all employees carrying a radio as quickly as possible. Also, the Wildlife refuge Director or senior supervisor should be notified as quickly as possible. The first wildlife refuge employee who has a radio and knows of a Big Cat escape will broadcast, "ALL UNITS, CODE GREEN" (Code Green means animal escape) and give the last known location. This message should continue to be reported for several minutes to keep people informed where the Big Cat is.
3. Once a "Code Green" message has been broadcasted, the following events should take place:
1. The ranking wildlife refuge staff member will assume charge of events.
1. Delegate to have the public and everyone not involved with the escape secured in buildings.
2. Instructions should be given to close all perimeter gates to confine escaped animal within wildlife refuge grounds.
2. A trained wildlife refuge staff member will retrieve "Kill Rifle" from the gun safe and proceed to SITE in a vehicle to assess the situation. Wildlife refuge staff should determine the type and model of "Kill Rifle". Most wildlife refuges use a 12-gauge shotgun, 30.06 or 30.30.
3. Only authorized and trained personnel will use the kill rifle.
4. All unnecessary radio communication shall stop until the emergency has been resolved.
5. Chemical immobilization equipment should be transferred to site where Big Cat is as soon as possible. Person "in charge" will determine if Big Cat should be immobilized. Only trained staff will use immobilization equipment.
6. Person "in charge" will assess the number of people needed to assist in capturing the escaped Big Cat. In most cases, the fewer people the better.
7. Those asked to assist are to follow directions until emergency is resolved.
8. At the onset of the animal escape, persons involved in the escape will be instructed to obtain a holding cage, capture net, or other equipment that would be useful.
4. Additional Assistance
A wildlife refuge staff employee should be instructed to call Police, Fire Department, or Ambulance if needed. Designate a person to meet and direct assistance where needed. Do not call "emergency groups" unless absolutely necessary.
5. Do not be a hero. All Big Cats are wild and could be extremely dangerous. Be cautious and use common sense.
Brian Werner, Executive Director Tiger Missing Link www.tigerlink.org
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 11:57:28 EST Subject: Re: FEL-L: Escape protocol!
Thank you for posting your escape protocol. Though it is written for larger facilities, it is very important at all big cat owners should have a similar protocol written up for their situation, even if only one cat is on location. This information should be kept with the protocol records and USDA and State information and permits.
Anyone handling big cats, even just one, should have training in chemical immobilization and safe capture. The DNR, animal control and police are NOT trained to handle these types of situations. It is important in responsible management that owners have a plan and backup plan, in case of escape and have the equipment and training to implement the plan if the need arises. This is commonsense management.
If I have raise say cattle, and a heifer jumps the fence and the bull follows her. They are heading straight for the interstate. I'm liable and I had better have a plan. Point being that in handling any large animal big cats to cows there is potential danger to the public and handlers during an escape.
Plans and protocols should be established for those owning small animals to. Know what you can to do before a situation presents itself.
Give the plans and protocols to those who would be called in on a situation, i.e., police, DNR, etc..before there is a situation. This way they will be aware that you know what you are doing and they are there for backup only, not primary responder. This in the long run will give you a say perhaps, in how the situation is handled. If you don't have this and a situation comes up and they are the primary responder you will have no say at all and they may elect to shoot and 1kill an animal that didn't need to be shot.
Other plan protocols should include disaster plan (earth quake, tornado, flood, hurricane, etc.) These plans should have evacuation protocols to them such as relocation areas, routes and alternative routes to get there, medical protocol, food, water, etc. Fire plan, what to do in case there is a fire at the facility and how the animals will be removed to safety. How will you handle your freaked out tiger, lion, cougar. leopard, horse, cows? What if?
Many animals would still be alive today had the owners had only thought through the "What ifs." In most emergencies you don't have time to create a plan, You only have time to respond, there should be a plan ready to be implemented. Sherry:)
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 10:26:58 -0800 Subject: Re: FEL-L: Escape protocol!
Several years ago we worked with the local fire dept. and developed a list of emergency telephone numbers and location of circuit breakers etc. as well as how to deal with an escape. The fire dept. knows that this information is in 2 different designated areas should they have to respond here and they don't immediately find one of us. They also had suggested to maybe put either a red or green ribbon on cage doors to signal to emergency workers which animals were able to be handled and which were not safe. We opted not to go with this system because none of ours are safe for a stranger to deal with. This might work with smaller cats and domestic dogs and cats. Thought I add this to the pot of ideas on emergency stuff. Glenda :)
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 08:42:31 -0800 Subject: Re: FEL-L: What are youse guys, nuts ? #2
>I'm surprised at the response from this starter thread. An escape is
a) Some of us actually believe in being prepared for most contingencies. While it is highly unlikely for an escape to occur, if one does occur, I wan't to catch the cat quickly. Even the BEST caging and handling can have problems due to extreme weather (a tree falls on the cage), AR twits, or other accidents.
b) For a rather LARGE pen, it can be useful to know just where the cat is in the pen. I am planning on a 150' across pen area, with trees, and "hills". I will not be able to see the entire pen in one glance.
If anyone ever uses the argument "well, you admit escape is possible, so you can't have the animal", I would ask them when they are planning on killing all prison inmates, since it has been proven that escape is possible, AND that prison inmates are dangerous?
>For the $1k-$2k for a commercial tracking collar (cheap ones) you can
The collars I've seen in that price range aren't especially useful for much of anything. I also happen to do electronics as a hobby, with a bunch of other people. We consider it a bit of a fun challenge to come up with a small, inexpensive system.
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 08:44:08 -0800 Subject: Re: FEL-L: Tracking collars and containment
>tracking devices that are the size of a pager, and are almost
Except that for the price of that system, I'd just buy another 20 to 100 acres of land. The only one like that i've seen cost a LOT.
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 08:46:22 -0800 Subject: Re: FEL-L: What are youse guys, nuts ? #2
>An escape is supposed to be highly IMPROBABLE
Hmm, so you are advocating that people should make NO plans on what to do if an escape occurs, since they are impossible? Sure doesn't sound sensible to me.
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 14:13:46 EST Subject: Re: FEL-L: What are youse guys, nuts ? #2
I just had to responded to this. I don't think others would look at it like this, They could interrupted as the person possessing the cat is taking all precautions for safety, and that they do know what they are doing. I think others would see it as the person is covering all the possibilities. Just my opinion Jennifer