Today as I was looking through a few news sites online I ran across an interesting article from CNN about making sure you have an emergency plan set up for your pets. I was mostly surprised by how similar the suggestions for pet emergency kits were for the suggestions for human emergency kits. Here are a few tips from the article that particularly stood out to me:
1. Try camping, or at least learn a few skills - It's important to keep in mind that many hotels and other places you might think to stay during an emergency may not allow pets. If you Replace yourself in this situation, you will probably be happy that you have some camping supplies like a tent or water filter set aside and a few skills that can help you get through until you Replace a more permanent place to stay.
2. Invest in sturdy pet carriers - No matter where you end up during an emergency, your pet will need to sleep somewhere. Get a carrier now and have your pet sleep in it and get used to it. Make sure it is big enough for your pet to be comfortable in and that it has space for a water and food bowl.
3. Carry copies of documentation - It is pretty common to hear that we should keep copies of credit cards, birth certificates, marriage certificates, and other important documents with our emergency kits. The same thing applies to important papers for our pets. Some papers that you might want to consider are lists of medications or allergies, vaccination records, and disaster contacts.
4. Carry photos that show you with your pet - This can work as proof of ownership. You can put pictures of you and your pet on it's carrier and also carry them with you in your emergency kit.
Click here for more ideas of what you should consider when working on preparing an emergency kit and plan for your pets and to read the article from CNN in it's entirety.
2 comments
Bob Owens
1. Micro chip your pet!
2, Make sure you have a leash!
3. Put your pet’s name and your phone # on your pet carrier!
4. Make sure your pet’s shots are current & you have documents!
5. Take 3 days of pet food & water & meds!
6. Remember: your pet will be totally scared and will bolt!
Stella
You are right about the shelters. When my sister’s community was hit by a tornado last spring she went to a local Red Cross shelter with her family and of course, the family dog. They wouldn’t accept the dog and told her to tie him up to a tree outside far away from the shelter. He was a small dog and he was scared to death, just like the rest of them. They wound up sleeping under a tree with the dog all night because they wouldn’t leave him. Having a tent, or at least a dog kennel to keep the dog safe, would have made a big difference. Thanks for the suggestion!