Certainly no one wants to be caught in a disaster, but unfortunately they do happen. No matter where you live there is a potential for a disaster to occur. Let us never forget the residents of New York City who had left their pets while they went to work on September 11th, 2001. They certainly were not planning on a disaster.

It is important to be prepared, so if you do need to evacuate you are able to do so quickly and safely with your pets. To become prepared there are several steps you can take to protect your pets.

1. Set up a disaster kit for each pet.

• Place items that can be stored in a bag or container (see below for list).
• Keep a list of items that can’t be stored and keep it on top of the kit.
• Be sure to check your kit every six months and replace perishable items.
• The carrier or cage should be taken out several times a year, and treats, blankets, and toys should be placed inside so that your pet becomes familiar with it.

2. Have a safe place to take your pets.

• It’s important to find people or facilities outside of your residential area that can take your pets during a disaster.
• Research pet friendly hotels and motels outside of your immediate geographic location to determine if any of the places can accommodate your pets during a disaster.
• Contact family and friends to see if they would be willing to provide shelter for your pets.
• Prepare a list of names and 24-hour emergency phone numbers of veterinarians who have boarding facilities.

3. Create a plan that includes your neighbors.

• Coordinate your disaster plan with that of your neighbor.
• Designate a close neighbor to find and retrieve your pets and grab your disaster kits if you are not home when the disaster occurs.
• Make sure that you know this person well and trust him or her.
• The person should have a key to your house, be familiar with your pets, know where to find pets that may be hiding, and know where the disaster kits are kept.
• In the pet disaster kit, keep a pre-signed letter that releases the neighbor from responsibility if the pet becomes injured during the evacuation.

4. Know what to do when a disaster approaches.

• If a disaster warning is issued in your area, immediately bring your pets inside.
• If your area is ordered to evacuate, then you must do so. You should never wait out a disaster unless there are no other options.
• If you must evacuate, contact the shelter or person who has agreed to take your pets and confirm your arrangements.
• Make sure that dogs are securely leashed and cats are in carriers.
• Make sure that all of your pets are wearing collars with identification tags.
• Attach the temporary tag with the shelter information to the collar.
• Pack the remaining supplies on your checklists.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 at 7:56 am and is filed under Amy Breton, Pet Health, Pet Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.