Proper emergency evacuation planning is a key to ensuring the safety and efficiency of resources allocation in disaster events. An efficient plan can save human lives avoid other effects disasters. To develop effective plans, this study proposed multi-objective optimization model that assigns individuals shelters through safe routes during available periods. The main objective minimize total tr...

Like more than 150 communities in Texas, our community participated in disaster response for Gulf coast citizens evacuated from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We implemented and adjusted emergency operations plans that were designed to respond to a local disaster. Lessons learned will strengthen our disaster preparedness in the future, including the importance of a robust medical presence at evac...

The post-tsunami health and nutritional statuses of survivors were surveyed three months after the disaster struck. Non-participant observations and questionnaires were used to study the effects of the disaster on their lifestyles and health while residing in temporary shelters provided by the government and private donors. Anthropometrics were measured and dietary surveys conducted to elicit n...

In a city devastated by flood is common that communication infrastructure is disrupted. An alternate communication infrastructure to provide basic services to victims is proposed in this paper. We introduce an intelligent environment design to handle urban flood alert and rescue scenarios. It is based on three different types of wireless communication networks: a Wireless Sensor Network to meas...

Current Italian legislation does not permit euthanasia of dogs, unless they are ill or dangerous. Despite good intentions and ethical benefits, this 'no-kill policy' has caused a progressive overpopulation of dogs in shelters, due to abandonment rates being higher than adoption rates. Shelter overcrowding has negative implications for dog welfare and increases public costs. The aim of this pape...

Three dog shelters in Rio Grande do Sul were investigated for associations between the occurrence of respiratory viruses and shelter environmental conditions. Nasal secretions randomly collected during the cold season were tested via PCR, and this data collection was followed by nucleotide sequencing of the amplicons. In shelter #1 (poor sanitary and nutritional conditions, high animal density ...

1. Secondary colonization of leaf shelters constructed by caterpillars has been reported from a number of systems. Both the mechanism (larval or adult movement vs. oviposition) and the cues used by arthropods in locating leaf shelters, however, have received little attention. 2. Artificial leaf shelters (i.e. leaf ties or pairs of leaves clipped together to form sandwiches) were constructed on ...

It is estimated that 2.5 million cats enter animal shelters in the United States every year and as few as 20% leave the shelter alive. Of those adopted, the greatest risk to post-adoption human animal bond is unrealistic expectations set by the adopter. The ASPCAr’s Meet Your Matchr Feline-alityTM adoption program was developed to provide adopters with an accurate assessment of an adult cat’s f...

Canine influenza virus (CIV) emerged around 2000 when an equine influenza virus (EIV) was transmitted to dogs in Florida. After 2003, the canine virus was carried by infected greyhounds to various parts of the United States and then became established in several large animal shelters, where it has continued to circulate. To better understand the evolution of CIV since its emergence, and particu...

This study examined the prevalence of behaviour problems exhibited by dogs within 4 weeks of acquisition from a rescue shelter in Northern Ireland. One thousand five hundred and forty-seven people who had purchased a dog from a rescue shelter in Northern Ireland were sent a postal questionnaire designed to collect information on the behaviours exhibited by their dog within the first month of ac...