If a flood, fire, hurricane or earthquake should strike are you prepared to take care of your pets? We suggest a Pet Disaster Plan, which includes making up a PET SURVIVAL KIT that is stored somewhere you can locate it in a hurry. Here are some tips that will give your pets the best chance of surviving whatever nature throws your way.
If You Evacuate, Take Your Pets
The single most important thing you can do to protect your pets is to take them with you when you evacuate. Animals left behind in a disaster can easily be injured, lost, or killed. Animals left inside your home can escape through storm-damaged areas, such as broken windows. Animals turned loose to fend for themselves are likely to become victims of exposure, starvation, predators, contaminated food or water, or accidents. Leaving dogs tied or chained outside in a disaster is a death sentence.
If you leave, even if you think you may be gone only for a few hours, take your pet with you. Once you leave, you have no way of knowing how long you’ll be kept out of the area, and you may not be able to go back for your pets.
Leave early-don’t wait for a mandatory evacuation order. An unnecessary trip is far better than waiting too long to leave safely with your pets. If you wait to be evacuated by emergency officials, you may be told to leave your pets behind.
Good Pet Identification
Make sure your pet has a good and current ID tag, and it is up to date.
Microchip Your Pet
Ask your veterinarian about permanent identification that can’t slip off, such as a tattoo or implanted microchip. We recommend Datamars 15-digit ISO Standard 11784 pet microchip as it conforms to the world standard and is the slimmest microchip on the market today. It is essential that you register your pet’s microchip and enter current contact information for you. PetLink.net allows for FREE registration and updates for the life of your pet with their registered microchip.
As a part of your disaster kit, make up a temporary ID tags to put on your pet if you’re forced to evacuate. The information on your pet’s permanent ID isn’t of much use if you aren’t home to answer the phone. We suggest using the type of key tags that you can jot a current number on, along with perhaps a cell phone number or the number of a relative.
Vet visit
Shelters will require proof of updated rabies, bordatella and other vaccinations. If your pet is due, schedule a visit to have this done. Get certificates for their vaccinations.?This is an important step in preparing your pet for a hurricane because no boarding facility will accept an unvaccinated pet.
Place in the kit your pet’s current medical and shot record. During a disaster your pet may come in contact with sick animals, contaminated water or disease carrying insects. Be sure to include the name and phone number of your pet’s veterinarian.
Make up a complete set of medical records, pet identification numbers, your veterinarian’s name and phone number, your pets feeding instructions, and a recent picture of your pet. Leave these duplicate records with a pet-loving friend. It’s a good idea for someone else to know about your pet should anything happen to you, even in a more common crisis such as an auto accident.
Keep your pet clean and groomed
Before leaving your home with your dog, keeping them clean and free of? parasites will make things easier for both of you. Keep their nails trimmed as well. Shelters will appreciate that as well.
What else to include in your pet’s disaster kit
In addition to the above, your kit should contain pet restraints for your car and a leash. Harnesses work better than collars at keeping panicky pets safe, but pet crates work best of all. A pet cargo crate would be a nice addition especially for cats as they will keep pets safe and give you more options for housing your pet away from home.
Your kit should contain a muzzle even though your pet is normally < gentle and friendly. Frightened or injured, dogs and cats are more likely to bite.
Keep several days’ worth of food and drinking water as well as any necessary medicines packed in your disaster kit. If your pet eats canned food, be sure to keep an extra can opener and spoon tucked in among the emergency supplies. More things to include in your pet’s disaster kit:
- Food and water for 2 weeks
- Water and food bowls
- Two weeks’ worth of any medications your pet may be taking
- A current photo of you with your pet in the case of separation.
- Extra sturdy leashes and collars with ID tags
- Puppy training pads in case your dog cannot go outside due to severe weather
- Cleaning supplies
- A pet crate or pet carrier large enough for your pet to stand and turn around and pads
- Treats and toys
- Litter box, scoop and litter (cats)
- Blankets, bedding or other comfort items
- Copies of your pet’s rabies certificate and other health certificates or tests sealed in a zip-lock bag or waterproof container
- Written info about feeding schedule, medications, behavior issues and the name and number of your veterinarian
- Cat Litter and portable litter box (if necessary)
Plan your route
Besides an emergency kit for your pet, planning an evacuation route for you and your pet is crucial. When your family includes a pet, evacuating will involve extra planning. If you plan to stay nearby, check your local emergency shelter to see if they will accept pets. If they do, you will most likely have to pre-register in advance. If your local shelter does not accept pets, be prepared to check neighboring cities outside of the projected path of the storm. Finding pet friendly hotels or other accommodations well in advance of a natural disaster will help ease the stress.
Whether you plan on evacuating or staying at home, it is crucial that you don’t leave your pet alone. “Abandoning your pet is not an option,” emphasizes Lisa Mendheim, Public Education Coordinator, Broward County Animal Care. “It is cruel and against the law.”
Make a reservation
In advance of the storm, contact your local office of emergency management to find a pet friendly shelter. Know that shelters will require that you have a reservation for your pet. You can also make a reservation at a pet friendly hotel; however, you will need to do this early as hotels will fill up fast. Ask friends out of the way of the storm whether they would have room for you and your pet if you needed to evacuate. If all else fails, contact your veterinarian’s office for the possibility of boarding during the storm.
Because many evacuation shelters don’t accept pets (except for service animals), you must plan ahead to ensure that your family and pets will have a safe place to stay. Don’t wait until disaster strikes to do your research. Contact your city or county to find out where their pet friendly shelters are located.
If you are taking your dog or cat to a pet friendly shelter, you will be required to provide a crate or carrier to contain it. If your pet is not used to being contained, work with them to get them acclimated. More info about training your pet to be in a crate or carrier.
Contact hotels and motels outside your immediate area to check policies on accepting pets. Ask about any restrictions on number, size, and species. Ask if “no pet” policies would be waived in an emergency.
Make a list of pet friendly places and keep it handy. Call ahead for a reservation as soon as you think you might have to leave your home. Check with friends, relatives, or others outside your immediate area. Ask if they would be able to shelter you and your animals or just your animals, if necessary.
If you have more than one pet, you may have to be prepared to house them separately.
Make a list of boarding facilities and veterinary offices that might be able to shelter animals in emergencies; include 24-hour telephone numbers. Ask your local animal shelter if it provides foster be your last resort, as shelters have limited resources and are likely to be stretched to their limits during an emergency.
Staying at Home
If you decide to ride out the storm at home, identify a place in your home with no exterior walls. A bathroom or closet may be suitable. Bring your pets inside before the weather turns. Relocate your pet’s kennel or crate in the room. Remove any toxic cleaners or other substances that could interest them. Be prepared to lose electricity and have a battery operated radio handy. Charge all of your electronics in advance.
Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, hazardous material spills-disasters can strike anytime, anywhere. If you think you will never have to evacuate unless you live in a flood plain, near an earthquake fault line or in a coastal area, you may be tragically mistaken. It is imperative that you make preparations to evacuate your family and your pets in any situation. In the event of a disaster, proper preparation will pay off with the safety of your family and pets.