Everybody should have an emergency set up in the event of unforeseen disaster. And if you’re a pet owner, your disaster preparedness should think about their health, safety, and well-being as well. It should seem obvious, but nobody thinks of it. So here’s a list of tips for pet owners to think about when making emergency preparedness plans.
Any emergency preparedness set up involves starting at the beginning, which is to say, consider based on climate, topography, and geography, which kinds of disasters are most likely, and plan accordingly. For instance, if you live in a district that’s prone to certain natural disasters, like tornadoes, earthquakes or floods, the majority of your preparations should be specific to those types of events. In many cases the safest issue to do in an emergency is to stay home so let’s think about some tips for ensuring safety in the home.
Being prepared in the home
- Determine the most structurally sound buildings and create those your safe havens. These will be rooms that are free of hazards such as windows, and excessive shelves along the walls.
- Utility rooms, bathrooms and basements are usually good safe zones as a result of they’re easy to clean and they provide access to water, provided that plumbing systems aren’t compromised. Access to fresh water is vital.
- If flooding is one of the more likely disasters in your area, choose the best location in your home as a secure haven. Either that or a room with access to counters or high shelves where pets can take refuge.
Be able to identify your pet in case something happens
- If your pet is lost in the chaos of an emergency, his or her ID tags are their ticket home. ensure all tags are up-to-date and securely mounted to their collar. If possible, attach the address and/or phone number of your evacuation website. Also take into account micro-chipping your pets.
- Keep a current photo of your pet in your emergency essentials kit.
- Included your cellular phone number on your pet’s personalized collar or tags
You’re the caretaker so an emergency for you is an emergency for them
Not only is it necessary for you to prepare your own emergency food storage, and provides, it’s also necessary to prepare an emergency kit specific for your pet and its needs, like a blanket made of fleece material for them to sleep on. Here are many different things you may want to include:
- Pet food
- Bottled water
- Medications
- Veterinary records
- Cat litter/pan
- Manual can opener
- Food dishes
- First aid kit and other medical supplies
Find a place to stay in advance
When an emergency happens, public health concerns take precedence over most other things. Sometimes those public health issues mean pets are excluded from consideration. That’s why it’s vital to identify an area to stay in advance. Some emergency shelters aren’t allowed to accept pets as occupants. Here are some tips to think about.
- Locate motels and hotels in your immediate space that allow pets well in advance of needing them. There are guides that list hotels and motels according to which ones ar pet-friendly.
- Include your local animal shelter in your list of emergency numbers.
- Keep a secure pet carrier on hand, as well as a leash and/or harness to make positive they can’t escape if they panic.
After the disaster
Pets continue to need special care even when the disaster is over. If the disaster forces you to leave city, you must take your pets with you. They aren’t possible to survive on their own. In the aftermath, pets is also a little rattled for a short time and their behavior may change. But, as long as you leash them when they go outside, always maintain close contact while they introduce themselves with their environment, and ensure they steer clear of any new hazards they’ll encounter due to changes caused by the disaster, they should recover in no time at all.
