Maricopa County Animal Care & Control Animal Decontamination Program for Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station

About the Program

Category: Risk and Emergency Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (MCACC) saw a need to provide decontamination services for pets and service animals that may be affected by an incident at the local nuclear generating station. Since many will refuse to evacuate without their pets, and service animals are vital to those with functional needs, MCACC created a program to work with emergency responders and evacuation officials to provide these services. Working with the Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management and the Arizona Radiological Regulatory Agency, MCACC developed a procedure for receiving, contamination testing and decontamination of these pets. With advice and assistance from experts in the field of service animals, MCACC developed guidelines for working with service animal owners and emergency personnel to ensure that these animals were properly decontaminated and able to continue their duties. MCACC was one of the first agencies in the country to attempt animal decontamination during a nuclear plant exercise and has become recognized as a national leader in the field of animal decontamination. Requests have been received from coast to coast for program details. A representative from FEMA has stated that MCACC’s Decontamination of Service Animals guidelines could become a model for the entire country to follow.