Are You Prepared for Disaster?
Preparing for Disaster
Disaster Strikes
Does your family have a plan in case of emergency? Does it include your four-legged family members? Many families have a plan of action in case of a disaster, but many people forget to plan for their pets. Some mistakenly think that their pet’s survival instincts will allow them to survive a storm or other disaster. However, if humans cannot survive the situation, it is unlikely that your pet will fare much better.
So, what should you do?
• Determine what you’re facing
• Planning is the key to insuring the safety of your pet.
• Determine what actions you need to take before, during, and after a disaster.
First, you should determine what types of emergencies are likely to occur in your area. Do hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, flooding, blizzards or wild fires affect your area? If you are unsure what disasters are common in your area, contact your local emergency management agency for more information. Also, consider other emergency situations, such as house fires or gas leaks.
Find a safe place
According to the FEMA website, you should never leave your pets behind in an emergency (unless your own life is at risk). Remember that though these animals once survived in the wild, we have domesticated them and for generation upon generation we have trained them to overcome or ignore their natural instincts. If you must evacuate, take your pet with you. However, many shelters do not accept pets, so planning is again, essential! Start with a list of options in areas surrounding your home (up to 100 mi radius). Options include friends or families that are out of harm’s way, veterinary clinics or pet boarding facilities, pet-friendly hotels, and animal shelters. Whatever you decide, make sure you thoroughly understand any restrictions or rules. For example, many boarding facilities require a copy of veterinary records before accepting your pet. Additionally, you will need to have a portable kennel for each pet.
No matter where your pet ends up, he/she needs to have identification. It is always wise to have a tag on the collar with contact information in case you’re separated unavoidably. An extra tag with a separate contact person outside of your area is a great idea simply because during an emergency, it is common for phones to be out or for circuits to be too busy to get through for days or weeks including cell phone service. (See I.D. Tags at JeffersPet.com)
Another method of identifying pets is microchipping. The American Humane Association estimates that about 17% of all lost dogs and only 2% of all lost cats ever make it back to their owner. Nearly 10 million pets are euthanized each year because they cannot be reunited with their owner. The American Humane Association recommends using I.D. Tags and microchips and always keeping the information current. (See microchips at JeffersPet.com)
Microchipping is safe, effective, durable and dependable, but can’t absolutely guarantee that a lost pet will be found. The best way to keep your pet safe is to use more than one form of identification. Microchips are long-lasting and a wonderful means of identification, but there is a chance a shelter won’t have a reader, so a tattoo would be an effective backup form of identification. If kind strangers find your pet on the street, on the other hand, they won’t have a reader handy to check and won’t know where to call to match a tattoo to an owner. A tag with your name and address [and phone number] would allow them to bring your pet right back to your door. Another possibility would be a tag that informs readers that your pet has been microchipped or tattooed and give them the number to call to reach the ID number database. There’s always the possibility that one kind of identification could fail but if your pet has two or three kinds of ID, there’s a good chance that at least one will bring him/her home to you. -– healthypet.com
Prepare an Emergency Kit
Just like an emergency preparedness kit for humans, a very important item to include is a basic first aid kit. This should include at minimum, some bandages and flexible wrap, a blood-stopper, an antibiotic ointment, an antiseptic spray, thermometer, sterile gloves, and scissors. (See First Aid Kits at JeffersPet.com)
It is very important to have a couple of day’s worth of food and clean water for your pet, just like it is for you and your family. Don’t forget to rotate stored food every month or two when your Emergency Kit is just sitting. If you are packing canned food, be sure it has a pop-top or you have a manual can opener with the kit.
Keep a couple of trash bags handy and disposable or collapsible feeding dishes or bowls made for travel.
An extra collar or harness and leash and some chew toys and snacks are a must as well as a blanket and/or bed and any medications required and keep recent photos just in case of separation.
Be aware of local laws that might require you to have some form of waste disposal such as bags and/or scoopers.
If you live in or your “safe destination” is in a cooler climate, keep a sweater or jacket and possibly boots for your pet. You might also want to think about a life jacket for your dog in areas where flooding and/or hurricanes are a threat.
Another consideration is the stress/anxiety of the emergency situation and travel on your pet. Consider a calming or anxiety relief treatment for your pet. (See Calming Aids at JeffersPet.com)
Be sure that your house has an emergency “Save Our Pets” sticker on every door and at least one window on each side of the house. Emergency workers don’t know and you might not be home or conscious to tell them.
Don’t wait until disaster strikes to think about what to do. You may literally only have a couple of minutes to worry about your own safety and that of your pet(s).