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Above: Hurricane Season in Florida

Hurricane season begins today, June 1st and then doesn’t end until the end of November.

Although the riskiest time of the season is typically in August and September, federal forecasters predicted nine to 14 named tropical storms for 2009.

Which can mean four to seven hurricanes and of those, estimates are that between one and three storms are likely to be major (Category 3 or higher).

Above: Annual tropical storms, hurricanes, & major hurricane trends from NOAA.

From NOAA: There is nothing magical in these dates, and hurricanes have occurred outside of these six months, but these dates were selected to encompass over 97% of tropical activity. June 1st has been the traditional start of the Atlantic hurricane season for decades. However, the end date has been slowly shifted outward, from October 31st to November 15th until its current date of November 30th.

This does not mean that tropical storms do not occur throughout the year–read more here.

Anyway, one of the lead stories this am is the missing French jet that left from Brazil on its way to Paris–and never showed.

The plane hit storm turbulence and sent out an automatic signal indicating electrical problems.

Now this is a reminder that if you are a pet owner who lives in storm prone areas hurricane season is something you must be prepared for each and every year.

Even so, we see news reports of those who are unprepared and who neglect to put together supplies for their pets. The stress during these evacuations is high and escalated when they attempt to evacuate with those animals.

I’ve written about this topic many times and some of these pages have links to resources and tips any pet owner will find valuable so I’ve included a few below.

Animal Disaster is now a career field and even a specialty called Veterinary Disaster Medicine.

But if you are not in the veterinary field, I am going to urge you to download the Animal Disaster Guide while it is still free.

Just fill in your name an email and download the Animal Disaster Preparedness for Pet Owners & Pet Professionals today–start here.

Other posts on this topic:

Hurricane Season Pet Care Tips

Hurricane Katrina’s Animal Victims

Hurricane Ike Animal Rescue

Follow Hurricane News at National Hurricane Center

Above: Sam the Koala gets a drink and downs three bottles of water. Photo by Russel Vickery.

Untold numbers of Australian animals have been impacted by the fires ravaging parts of Australia. Amidst the horror stories, the animal survivors, such as Sam the Koala, touch the hearts of people around the globe.

There are a variety of animal groups who need help and you can view a comprehensive list if you would like to help the animals affected by the bushfires.

You can also donate to Wildlife Victoria’s efforts to provide food for the wildlife that survived but who are living in the fire damage area without food sources.

The RSPCA Victoria is also in need of help for dealing with the domestic animal survivors.

Animal Aid is also seeking additional resources.

Please download the Animal Disaster Preparedness Guide, if you have not done so already, and use the knowledge to prepare for unexpected disasters for the animals.

Once again the Southern California area is filled with smoke—and where there is smoke there is fire.

I listened to Oprah talk about her concern over the proximity of the Tea Fire and the safety of her dogs in Motecito, California.

Too bad she didn’t know about the Animal Disaster Guide I’ve been distributing at no charge to subscribers. I’d suggest you download your guide now and spread the word.

Our thoughts and prayers and with those who have lost their homes and the large numbers of people who have been evacuated.

The Animal Disaster Guide includes discussion about how to prepare for disasters (including fires), what steps to take for evacuation, and what to put in your pet’s kit. It can help prevent stress and heartache.

Find more information on the Southern California Fires here and updates on the fire containment status here. You can get info on the Sayre Fire online, too.

Since I am revisiting disaster awareness, here are some updates on Hurricane Ike animal rescue efforts:

Although many people have put hurricane season behind them, animal welfare organizations are still on the job or in need of assistance in areas devastated by Hurricane Ike.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners is accepting donations for their Equine Disaster Relief Fund.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has pledged monies for both Hurricane Ike and Hurricane Gustav that covers the distribution of food and supplies and other needs.

Habitat for Horses is accepting donations to make sure cattle have feed and hay and to repair damage during Hurricane Ike.

Livestock relief in Texas is being done through the No Fences campaign where donations purchase hay, feed, water, and fencing or corral materials.

If you want to donate hay the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Hay Hotline is still accepting donations or hay producers can call  877-429-1998 with their donations.