Keep Your Pet Safe From Disaster By Including Them in Your Disaster Plan
This September, as Disaster Preparedness Month draws near, it’s critical that we get our animal family members ready for any disasters in addition to ourselves. Disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires can cause chaos and confusion in their wake. Making preparations in advance for your pet can have a significant impact. Our duty as veterinarians and animal clinics is to inform pet owners about the value of preparing their animals for disasters. In this blog, we’ll look at how to include your pet in your disaster plan.
First and foremost, your pet must have an emergency kit. Food, water, medicine, a leash, a collar with tags for identification, and other items required for your pet’s comfort and well-being should be included. Having a carrier or crate ready might also be helpful if you have to flee.
If you cannot bring your pet during an evacuation, they must have a designated safe area. This might be a motel that allows pets, a boarding facility, or a friend’s or relative’s home. In case your pet becomes lost or hurt, make sure you have the phone number and other pertinent information for the local veterinarian clinic and animal shelters close at hand.
Furthermore, it is imperative to guarantee that your pet’s identity is current. This includes any information from their microchip and their collar tags. Pets can quickly become separated from their owners in the turmoil of a crisis, but possessing current identification can help ensure their safe return home.
Lastly, practicing your emergency plan with your pet before a calamity strikes is crucial. This can involve practicing evacuation drills with your pet and introducing them to car journeys in their carrier or box to help them become accustomed to them.
We urge you to prepare to include your pet in your disaster plan in observance of Disaster Preparedness Month. For more advice and help keeping your pet safe, don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.