Pet Emergency Plan

Tornados, hurricanes, flooding, fires – How ready are you?

I remember when a tornado was heading towards our house. The tornado was 18 miles away and heading straight towards us. My husband was at work and my son and I were at Grammy’s house. Lucky for us right? We were all out of harms way! The only problem was that all of our pets were home alone. So, off I go straight to where the tornado is suppose to hit to make sure all of our pets are cared for. The really lucky thing was that just a few miles before the tornado hit our area it turned and headed east. I know many of you are thinking that I wasn’t being very smart heading straight into the storm. I also know there are a whole lot of people out there that would have done the same thing. What I really needed was a pet emergency plan.

Sixty percent of American households have pets, and weathering a natural disaster includes having a plan for your pets. Be prepared to take your pets with you if you need to evacuate, remember if it isn’t safe for you to be there, it isn’t safe for your pets.

Here are some things you can do to be prepared.

* All pets should have collars and identification.
* Take pictures of your pets to assist with identification.
* Create a pet emergency kit (see below).
* Talk to your neighbors to see if they can help if you are not home during an emergency.
* Create a list of hotels that allows pets. Evacuations normally require you to travel about 100 miles to get out of harms way, so check out hotels within a 100 mile radius.

Pet emergency kits should include:

* Pet food for at least three days, stored in an airtight, waterproof container.
* Bottled water for at least three days.
* Bowls for food and water.
* Current photos and physical descriptions of your pets.
* Medications, vaccination records and first-aid pet supplies.
* Comfort items such as a favorite toy, blanket or pet bed.
* Small garbage bags.
* Leashes, harness and a pet carrier.
* For cats, litter and a litter box.
* For small animals like birds, hamsters and rabbits bring a small portable cage and supplies.

A good emergency plan accounts for everyone in your home, including your pets. So, be prepared rather than getting stuck weathering out a storm or leaving loved ones behind.

If you have any other suggestions for a pet emergency plan, please post your comments so we can all be as prepared as possible.