Pet Disaster Preparedness
Prepare Your Pet for a Disaster
If a floor, 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.
GOOD IDENTIFICATION
Make sure your pet has a good and current ID. Many pets are wearing
an ID tag but the information is not up to date.
Your pet will probably survive a disaster even if they are separated
from your family, but will you ever see them again or will they join the
legions that wind up at the pet shelter. That's why pets should always
wear a collar and identification tags.
Ask your veterinarian about permanent identification that can't slip
off, such as a tattoo or imbedded microchip. We recommend Datamars 15 digit ISO Standard 11784
pet microchip
as it is the world standard. It is essential that you register your pet's microchip.
PetLink.net allows for FREE registration and updates
for the life of your pet.
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.
MEDICAL INFORMATION
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.
DUPLICATE RECORDS
Make up a complete set of medical records, pet identification
numbers, your veterinarians 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.
PET DISASTER KIT
In addition to the above, your kit should contain pet restraints for
your car, 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 safe 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.
MAKE A RESERVATION
Find a Safe Place Ahead of Time
Because evacuation shelters generally 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. PetTravel.Com has thousands of places that will
provide accommodations for you and your pet.
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 care or
shelter for pets in an emergency. This should be your last resort, as
shelters have limited resources and are likely to be stretched to their
limits during an emergency.
THE DAY OF THE STORM
When disaster strikes, always keep your pet with you. If it
isn't safe for you to stay put, it isn't safe for your pets.
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.
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 animals. 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.
Pet Disaster