Pet Emergency Plan – Think Ahead to Keep your Pet Safe!
We can count on our pets to keep us happy. Let’s make sure our pets can count on us when disaster happens.
We never know when things will turn to worst during disasters. It is always a good measure to have a concrete plan handy so we will be safe and secure together with our furry companions.
- ID your pet: have you pet wear a collar with updated contact information and identification
- Create a pet disaster kit: Having a pat bud-out bag will save you valuable tome during emergencies.
- Get a rescue alert sticker: This lets people know what pets are inside your house and how many. Place it where it’s visible to rescue workers (on or near your front door). Also include your veterinarians phone number.
- Research a safe place to take your pets: If evacuation is required during a disaster, taking your pet with you is the best way to protect them.
Remember, when it is not safe for you to stay, it’s not safe for them too. Lay out a plan for where you and your pet will go. Keep in mind that pets may not be allowed in human shelter unless they are service animals.
Here are some additional advises if you have to evacuate:
- Contact your local emergency management office and ask if they offer accommodations for owners and their pets.
- Check family or friends outside evacuation area. Contact a pet-friendly hotel, particularly along evacuation routes.
Tips to Stay at Home with Your Pet during an Emergency
If you stay home, do it safely: When you have to wait out a storm or other disaster at home, identify a safe area where you can all stay together.
Here are some tips you can do to make it safer for you and your pets.
- Move dangerous items such as tools or toxic products that have been stored in the area.
- Bring your pets indoors as soon as local authorities say trouble is on the way. Keep dogs on leashes and cats in carriers, and make sure they are wearing identification.
- If you have a room you can designate as a safe room, put your emergency supplies in that room in advance, including your pet’s crate and supplies. Have any medications and a supply of pet food and water inside watertight containers, along with your other emergency supplies. If there is an open fireplace, vent, pet door or similar opening in the house, close it off with plastic sheeting and strong tape.
- Listen to the radio periodically and don’t come out until you know it’s safe.
Post Disaster
After the disaster, your home will be a very different place making it hard for your pets to adjust.
- Don’t allow you pets to roam loose.
- Familiar landmarks and smells might be gone, and your pet will probably be disoriented. Pets can easily get lost in such situations.
- While you assess the damage, keep dogs on leashes and cats in carriers inside the house. If your house is damaged, you pets could escape.
- Dogs could also be keep in tactical dogs vest to help you securing the house..
- Be patient with your pets after a disaster. Try to get them back into their normal routines as soon as possible. Be ready for behavioral problems caused by the stress of the situation. If these problems persist, or if your pet seems to be having any health problems, talk to your veterinarian.
- If you community has been flooded, check your home and yard for wild animals who may have sought refuge there. Wildlife can pose a threat to you and your pets.
If you seek out more information
There is a safety app that shows pet owners exactly what to do in case of a natural disaster. It stores vital medical records, and provides information on making life-saving decisions during natural disasters. You can download it for free!