Pet Emergency Preparedness

I grew up just outside Raleigh, North Carolina, which means I am very familiar with hurricane prep and have a healthy respect for both hurricanes and tornadoes.

What do you do when a storm is coming? Secure your valuables, make sure your important documents are in a fire and waterproof box, pack up the photo albums, board up the windows, pack your bags, and make sure you have all your supplies at the ready! I’m sure many of you are familiar with this and could create a passable hurricane kit, right?

But… what do you do for your pets? Have you thought of how to prepare for them? Don’t worry, I have done the hard work for you!

Make sure your pets have up-to-date contact information on their collars and check their microchips!

I know having jingling tags can be annoying, and collars really are a safety issue inside kennels or with roughhousing, but your pet NEEDS to have ID on them! We all hope and pray they don’t get lost, but today we are talking about preparedness, and this is SO important. Knox has a reflective collar with an ID tag that is flush to the collar. It is easy to find and won’t snap off.

The other important thing to check is your pet’s microchip. Microchips can actually migrate over time, and you should have your vet scan for the chip at each vet visit to make sure it can be found. Be sure that the information on the chip is up to date. I see so many posts on lost pet groups of animals that have been rescued off the side of the street, only to have no information or bad information on their chip!

Microchipping is such a cost-effective way to make sure your pet always has ID, you have no excuse not to do it! Many companies now offer chips without any subscription!

Know your region’s native natural disasters and when they are likely to occur.

This will vary widely based on where you are located. Sometimes you may not know a storm or disaster is coming in advance (such as mudslides or tornadoes), but knowing what to expect and already having a plan in place will go a long way to giving you peace of mind.

Have a few RECENT photos of your pets printed and saved to your phone and an online cloud.

Again, we don’t want our pets to ever get lost, but if they DO, you need clear pictures of them. Get a good shot of their faces and full body shots from both sides so that if you need to post online or create posters, your pet can be easily identified by their photos.

Create an ICE sheet for your pet.

This may be new to some of you. When I was doing therapy visits for Knox, I created an “In Case of Emergency” sheet for him that stayed in our backpack. This included an Emergency Contact for Knox, along with his age, breed, weight, and other important details about him. This is a great thing to have just by the door of your home or clipped to their kennels. In fact, you should probably keep on in the car at all times.

Pack a bag

This bag should include:

Your dog’s medical records!
Food for a week or two
Bottle water (just for your pet!)
Food and water bowls
Poo bags
A toy or two
Some favorite chews
Extra collar and leash
A towel
Treats
Extra medicine for your dog

Have a crate ready to go – and have your dog trained to enjoy it!

Learn how, here!

Know where your Pet-Friendly shelters are!

This is SO important. Emergency shelters ARE NOT required to grant you access in an emergency if you have your pet with you. Do your research ahead of time and know where you can go with your pets. Many shelters require pets to be crated, so make sure you do step 5 above! Some shelters provide crates, but only have a limited number. Plus, your pet will likely be most comfortable in their own crate.

On your list, you should also include local pet-friendly hotels, boarding kennels, and similar locations.

Lastly, TAKE THEM WITH YOU!

Very rarely will you be required to leave your pet at home for safety reasons. If you have pets, evacuate early, make a plan, and take them with you. Please do not turn them loose to ‘fend for themselves’. They probably will not survive the storm or may be impossible to find again if they do.

If you DO have to leave your pet at home, provide food and water for twice as long as you think you will be gone, prop open toilets and fill the tub for water, and post LARGE notices outside your home about your pets and with you and your vet’s contact information. Do not leave them tied or crated. And seriously, TAKE THEM WITH YOU if you can!