Why You Need To Be Prepared
Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, hazardous material spills—disasters can strike anytime, anywhere. If you think you will never have to evacuate unless you live in a floodplain, near an earthquake fault line, or in a coastal area, you may be tragically mistaken. It is imperative that you make preparations to evacuate your family and your pets in any situation. In the event of a disaster, proper preparation will pay off with the safety of your family and pets. There are steps that you can take to be better prepared to care for your pets in a disaster. Here are some emergency tips and planning information from The Humane Society of the United States.
IF YOU EVACUATE, TAKE YOUR PETS
The single most important thing you can do to protect your pets if you evacuate is to take them with you. If it’s not safe for you to stay in the disaster area, it’s not safe for your pets. Animals left behind in a disaster can easily be injured, lost, or killed. Animals left inside your home can escape through storm damaged areas, such as broken windows. Animals turned loose to fend for themselves are likely to become victims of exposure, starvation, predators, contaminated food or water, or accidents. Leaving dogs tied or chained outside in a disaster is a death sentence.
If you leave, even if you think you may be gone only for a few hours, take your animals. Once you leave your home, you have no way of knowing how long you’ll be kept out of the area, and you may not be able to go back for your pets.
Leave early—don’t wait for a mandatory evacuation order. An unnecessary trip is far better than waiting too long to leave safely with your pets. If you wait to be evacuated by emergency officials, you may be told to leave your pets behind.
DON’T FORGET ID
Your pets should be wearing up-to-date identification at all times. It’s a good idea to include the phone number of a friend or relative outside your immediate area—if your pet is lost, you want to provide a number on the tag that will be answered even if you’re out of your home.
FIND A SAFE PLACE AHEAD OF TIME
Because evacuation shelters generally don’t accept pets, except for service animals, you must plan ahead to ensure that your family and pets will have a safe place to stay. Don’t wait until disaster strikes to do your research.
Contact hotels and motels outside your immediate area to check policies on accepting pets. Ask about any restrictions on number, size, and species. Ask if “no pet” policies would be waived in an emergency. Make a list of pet-friendly places and keep it handy. Call ahead for a reservation as soon as you think you might have to leave your home.
Check with friends, relatives, or others outside your immediate area. Ask if they would be able to shelter you and your animals or just your animals, if necessary. If you have more than one pet, you may have to be prepared to house them separately.
Make a list of boarding facilities and veterinary offices that might be able to shelter animals in emergencies; include 24-hour telephone numbers.
Ask your local animal shelter if it provides foster care or shelter for pets in an emergency. This should be your last resort, as shelters have limited resources and are likely to be stretched to their limits during an emergency.
All pet owners should have some basic supplies on hand in order to survive for at least three days if an emergency occurs. Below is a list of some basic items that every pet disaster supplies kit should include. However, it is important that individuals review this list and consider the unique needs of their pet in order to create an emergency supply kit that will meet the pet’s needs.