Be Prepared and Protect Your Pets During an Emergency

Our Emergency Prep Articles are intended to offer you suggestions on how to prepare for and survive a variety of potential emergencies with which you might be presented with in your house, in your place of business and on the road.

While there are numerous plain similarities among different kinds of calamity, each kind of emergency brings with it certain individual needs.

Family Pets

In the U.S., pets actually outnumber humans by approximately sixty million. 63% of all family households own a pet, 45% own more than one. We own an estimated 73 million dogs, 95 million cats. We spend almost $2000 on average per year on a dog, over $900 on a cat, including the vet bills, food, boarding, grooming, supplements, treats and animal toys. No estimates exist for emergency supplies.

Hurricane Katrina was a wake-up call for emergency preparation, not only for ourselves and our families but also for our beloved pets.

Of an approximated 1/4 million pets left behind in Louisiana, only about 15K were ultimately saved. These suffered from heartworm disease, parasites, severe lack of water, trauma, injuries from debris and stagnant water, malnutrition, lethargy and exhaustion, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

•  Don’t leave your family animals behind if you have any say in the matter.

What you can do:

Include your pet(s) in your emergency plan. We talked many times over about the grandness of having a plan, writing it down, making sure everybody in the home comprehends it, and actually practicing the plan. This plan should include your pets.
Keep animal permit and shots current. Make sure that a collar ID and rabies tags are on the pet at all times. The ID should include mobile telephone  number, in addition to any temporary shelter address you have. You should apply tape to back of the ID tag and write with permanent pen or marker. Have a list on hand of all boarding possibilities (including friends/relatives) out of the direct risk area. Most emergency shelters do not allow pets other than service animals that help people with disabilities.

• Bring pets inside well ahead of a natural disaster.
• Prepare an indoor area in which pets can stay. Should be an area easy to clean; away from breaking glass, wind, noise; and have ample water and food. If danger of flooding, area should be as high as possible and/or allow access to a high location.
• Keep a sturdy leash available for each pet.
• If possible, keep cats and dogs separate. They may get along with each other in more usual times, but emergencies are not normal times.
• Keep pets steadfastly leashed when outdoors. Emergencies are very stressful, and terrified pets may panic and attempt to escape.
• Have pet emergency products ready to take along on limited notice. 

What you require:

•  Food: Dry, preferably vacuum packed. If wet food, be sure to have a can opener. More than enough for no less than 72 hours.
•  Water: In sealed pouches or sealed gallon jugs. Enough for 3 days.
•  Food/water bowl(s).
•  Medicines: If your pet is on medication, have a 14 day supply.
•  Toys: A couple favorites.
•  Crate: A secure pet carrier.
•  Plastic bags for waste. Litter box and litter for cat(s).
•  Photo for identification if your beloved petr is lost.
•  Pet First Aid Kit.
•  Backpack or 5 gallon covered pail to hold the above.

Conclusion

The main thing to enduring any catastrophe is preparing. If you have got to be an unexpected emergency statistic, be one of the good ones…and survive. Bear in mind…have a plan and go over it. No plan will cover every potential contingency. Good luck, and keep on being safe.

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