Are You & Your Pets Prepared For Emergencies?

May 11 is National Pet Preparedness Month. What does this mean for you? As a pet parent you need to be prepared for emergencies for your human family as well as your pet family. If you had to evacuate your home because of a flood or fire or hurricane or other natural disasters, would you be able to find a place to stay that your pets would be welcome? If you have a pet who needs medications or special food, would you be able to quickly grab that and go? 

If you have a bird, reptile or an aquarium, how would you evacuate your home with those pets? It might not be something you've given much thought to, and that's why on May 11 it is an ideal time to stop, plan and test the plan. Pet preparedness, or for that matter, human preparedness might not be something you've given much thought to. Even if you don't live in an area of the country that is plagued by natural disasters, what would you do if your power went out in the winter and you couldn't heat your house so you had to evacuate; do you have a place you can stay that will welcome your pets? 

Here are some pet preparedness tips you may not have considered (and you're not alone, not many pet parents have) 

• If you have to evacuate, will all of your pets fit in the car? 
• Do you have easy access to pet carriers for your pets? 
• Where will you stay if you're evacuating and are you certain that location will allow you to have your pets? Many people in flood and hurricane-prone areas found out too late that the shelters wouldn't accept pets so they were forced to surrender them until the disaster had passed. Do you want to have to make that decision when you're already stressed out? 
• Where is your pet's medicine and any special food? Even if your pet isn't on special food you certainly don't want to introduce him to new foods in the midst of a stressful situation -- that can definitely lead to stomach upset. 
• Do you have collars and tags with your contact information for your pets? If you're not sure, take care of that as soon as possible. 
• Where are your pets' medical records? If you don't have them, give your veterinarian a call and ask for a copy of your pets records. Keep them in your car or in a location they'd be easy to access if you had to evacuate (don't rely on your memory, though to grab them before you leave) 
• What is your pet's favorite toy or blanket or bed and will that fit in the car? If your pet gets anxious, having an item from home will help alleviate that -- having their own scent on a toy or blanket will comfort them. 
• You should make a "go-bag" for all of your pets and have it in a location that is easy to grab if you're running out the door. This is a good idea for all the humans in your family, too. 
• How will you keep your reptiles warm if you have to put them in the car and evacuate? 
• If you have birds, do you have a plan for their care if you're evacuating? Are you taking them with you? If the weather is inclement, how will you keep them safe and warm? 
• Know where you're going to stay if you have to evacuate -- a hotel, with a friend or family member -- and make sure that space is available if you need access to it. Many natural disasters come with pre-disaster warnings (meteorologists giving weather forecasts, etc). If that is the case, call the hotel, make a reservation or call your friend or family member and make certain they have space for you and your pets. 
• Think about what you typically take with you when you take your pets on vacation or a road trip and pack that into the go-bag. Don't forget a food dish or water bowl or can opener, etc. 

The coronavirus and the recent pandemic has meant we are sheltering in place and if you found you needed more food or other items for your pets to get you through these past weeks and months, write it down and prepare for those items to be in your pet's go bag.  Check your pet's go bags every few months and add items to it that you find you've forgotten and check on the expiration dates of foods and medicines and use them before they expire. 

No one wants to think they will be faced with an evacuation or natural disaster, but if you're prepared in the unlikely event it happens, you will have a lot less stress because you will know you've prepared for your family.