Keep Your Pet Safe and Include Them in Your Disaster Plan
September will soon be Disaster Preparedness Month, so it’s crucial that we not only get ready for ourselves but also our four-legged family members. It can be a moment of turmoil and confusion when a disaster, like a storm, earthquake, or wildfire, occurs. For your pet, having a plan in place in advance can be really helpful. It is our duty as veterinarians and animal clinics to inform pet owners about the value of disaster readiness for their animals. We’ll look at how to incorporate your pet into your disaster plan in this blog post.
First and foremost, having an emergency kit for your pet is crucial. This should include food, water, medications, a leash, a collar with identification tags, and other necessary supplies for your pet’s health and comfort. Having a crate or carrier ready may also be helpful if you need to evacuate.
If you can’t bring your pet during an evacuation, it’s imperative to have a designated safe destination for them. This could be a boarding facility, a motel that accepts pets, a friend’s or family member’s home, etc. In case your pet is lost or hurt, make sure you have crucial contact information for this place, as well as contact details for nearby veterinary clinics and animal shelters, on hand.
Additionally, it’s critical to check that your pet is wearing the most recent form of identification. This includes any microchip data and any collar tags they may have. Pets and their owners can easily become separated during a disaster, but having current identification can help with their safe return home.
Finally, it’s crucial to test your disaster plan before a disaster with your pet. This may involve acclimating your pet to car journeys in a crate or carrier and going through evacuation drills with them.
In honor of Disaster Preparedness Month, we encourage you to take the necessary steps to include your pet in your Disaster Plan. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us for further guidance and assistance in keeping your pet safe.