The Texas Animal Health Commission is advising those evacuating for Hurricane Ike to call 2-1-1 for the latest information on available facilities open for emergency animal sheltering for livestock and pets. "The 2-1-1 operators assist evacuees with other information, and operational animal shelters are another important piece of information the operators can provide evacuees," said Matt Cochran, DVM, emergency management veterinarian with the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the state's livestock and poultry health regulatory agency. The TAHC is one of more than 30 agencies on Texas' Emergency Management Council for the Governor's Division of Emergency Management. For several years, TAHC staff members have worked with livestock facility owners and managers to determine which sale barns, expo centers, and show grounds can be used to shelter livestock during emergencies. As there is no state agency responsible for companion animals, the Texas State Animal Resource Team (TXSART) works with animal care organizations to assist local communities to provide emergency shelters for pets. The TAHC and Texas Agrilife extension agents have teamed up in many counties with local emergency management coordinators, veterinarians, ranchers, feed stores, and local animal care groups to develop volunteer animal issue committees and develop response plans for sheltering or evacuation. By planning ahead for "worst-case" scenarios, the committees are prepared for all aspects of animal care, including emergency shelter, triage and routine care, and carcass disposal if necessary. If you plan to weather the storm at home, here are some general guidelines to follow, provided by the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine: * The choice of keeping your horse in a barn or an open field is up to you. Use common sense, taking into consideration barn structure, trees, power lines, condition of surrounding properties, and the likelihood of the property and structure to flood. Farms subject to storm surge or flash flooding should turn their horses out so horses are not trapped. Do not lock horses in stalls. * Remove all items from the barn aisle and walls, and store them in a safe place. * Have at least a two- to three-week supply of hay and feed. Wrap or cover hay in plastic tarps, and store feed in plastic water-tight containers. * Place these supplies in the highest and driest area possible, out of reach of floodwaters. * Fill clean plastic garbage cans with fresh water, secure the tops, and store them in the barn for use after the storm. * Have an emergency barn kit containing a chain saw and fuel, hammers, a saw, nails, screws, and fencing materials. Place this kit in a secure area before the storm hits so that it is easily accessible after the storm. * Be sure to have an ample supply of flashlights and batteries. * Listen to local radio stations in your area. If Internet access is available, access state-run Web sites that contain accurate status information (i.e., State Police, State University, State Department of Agriculture). Take all cautions and warnings seriously and act accordingly. Visit Equine.vetmed.lsu.edu for more detailed information regarding horse hurricane preparations and other emergency and health-related information.

Looks like Ike will be indeed hitting quite hard in TX,,,I am pulling out of WV on Monday Morning,,and heading that way,,,should anyone need an experienced hand to help out with anything at all,,,please feel free to contact me,,304-532-6748, will be arriving in my pick-up, so will have room in the back for anything, i/e., food, hay, ect., and can pull a bummper pull trailer if needed,, I should reach St. Louis monday night,,,however, if need be I can take the southern route to help pick up what ever is needed. My prayers are with all of you out there,,, Hugs, Tammylee

If anyone happens to be near Crosby (20 miles north of the Trinty Bay, as the crow flies, and 25 miles east downtown Houston in Harris County), with an five to eight horse trailer, please let me know. I only have a three horse trailer, (and eight horses), but it is full of 45 bales if hay with no place to store it, and got caught off guard with this storm. I have spent all day trying to get emergency coggins test on 5 of my horses, that I accidently let lapse. I wont be able to get those papers till tomorrow around noon over at Sam Houston Race Park, 40 miles from me... but that was the quickest I could have them done. I know I am asking for a lot, probably a miracle... As a lot of you know, I just lost my Mother the day after Tropical Storm Eduard went directly over my house. I have a lot of trees, and several are dead near my horses pens. I live in a double wide mobile home. Since I spent so much time trying to get the emergency coggins test, I was unable to get any plywood to board my windows, nor cut down those 7 trees, or get my 8 eight horses moved. EXTREMELY OVERWELMED HERE BY MYSELF. I did have a friend that was going to help me, but he just found out that he and his family is being Mandatory Evacuated from Liberty County. I dont quite understand how these counties work, but looks like the eye of this storm on it's current path, will be within 10 miles of my place. Also have 6 cats, and 2 dogs, that I have to get to shelter. Jen, glad to see you are getting your family and your critters out. I'll include you, and every one else involved in my prayers. My cell number is 713-826-7669. Thanks In Advance, Sandra

my friends in north texas sent me this I am gonna post it if any one needs or is going to oklahoma this might be avaliable: If you know anyone needing to evacuate South Texas, my husband Tim has stalls available at Hardy Murphy Coliseum in Ardmore. He can be reached at 580-223-2541 or 580-277-9003 Thanks Tracy Lynch RHSF Secretary

Teri, my cell is (210)854-6775, call if you need anything. Looks like we are going to be fine, just alot of wind and rain. Good luck to the rest of you in the path. Nancy

We are now leaving the clouds and wind are here so we will be offline till we get to Bitsy's. I pray for everyone and please Tom and Shelly let me know what yall are doing! LOVE YALL! Anybody needin help in the aftermath call me most of yall know my number for those that dont 409 429 4833 john 409 429 8458 be safe love Jen

If anyone is willing to come up to Wichita Falls, I do have an extra room for 1-2 people. You can bring your pets to but will have to put up with my two dogs and two cats. I do not have a place to keep a horse - but can assist in finding a place up here for one. Just let me know.

Shelly you and tom are welcome to come up here and bring all the animals with yall we can turn em out with mine, I think we are gonna get hit fairly hard but not near as bad as yall, hwy 287 is flowing pretty good if you leave asap you should get out alot better than in rita. just have tom call me if yall want to come this way william

Tom and Shelly call me. Tom u and Marcia were the first to call me after Rita chewin me out cause I didnt call. I know it is hard on the horses but right now traffic will not be that bad. We have decided to go to Bitsy's unfortunetly I dont have a 10 horse trailer so 5 are stayin here they do have a pond, Rita took out hte big trees so their pasture should be safe unfortunetly the trees around the house are another story as they are weak from Rita.. I will be notifying the county livestock officer to let him know (thankfull he a good friend of mine) We will be taking the gooseneck and bumper trailer so the 2 studs the 4 mth old baby and kiddo geldings ( skipper and grandpa or else we gonna have to hog tie her) and her show animals will be going. Oh the goat too. Everyone please be safe!! When we get back please let us know if anyone needs help in the aftermath!! Love Jen

I can be of some assistance also!!!! If you have LQ, I have power. We can clean out, rearrange & make temp stalls in tool barn also. I can handle a few here and I'm quite sure my Cowboy Church will offer holding pens there also. The pens are huge, so if you have horses that get along well together, that would work. If you have feed, buckets, hay, etc. that would be good but not a big problem. There is also tons of parking there if needed and gates are locked! Email me here. I'll keep an eye on my mail. I'm about 12 miles out of Terrell, Tx. zip code is 75160 Pat