Make a Plan for Pet Evacuation

We have discussed in the last 3 blogs about things to put in an emergency kit for your pet. Now let’s talk about making a plan to evacuate.

Suggestion 1 – Create a plan with an evacuation route. Two plans may be necessary: (1) a plan to evacuate your house; (2) evacuating your neighborhood.

Suggestion 2 – Practice your plan. If possible, use a command for your dog or cat that will bring them to you. Give them treats or rewards while training them to do this. This command should be different than any other command so they know they will be leaving.

Suggestion 3 – Check with neighbors, family, friends or someone who might take your pet instead of taking them to a shelter.

Suggestion 4 – Check with neighbors, family or friends who can care for your pet if an emergency occurs and you can’t get home should you be away.

Important: If you have to evacuate, DO NO LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND!

Do something today that will make a difference. Save your life and your pet’s life.

Remember to check out dog and cat supplies on www.pawsitivepamperings.com

10 Ideas for a Pet Emergency Kit

To continue with the Emergency Preparedness blog theme for your pets, here are some suggestions as to what you  should put into your pet emergency kit. These suggestions can be used for both dogs and cats.

1. Collar or harness and leash (The pet’s name should be on the collar tag.)
2. Proof of immunizations
3. Crate or pet carrier
4. A picture of you with your pet for pet ID of owner. Keep the picture current. Our pets don’t change much, but we do.
5. Sanitation – For cats: Litter and litter box of some sort. The litter box doesn’t need to be fancy, just a corrugated box will do or an old roasting pan. For dogs: plastic bags for waste pick up.
6. Pet first aid kit. (see previous blog)
7. Dog treats or cat treats
8. Dog toys and cat toys
9. Face masks – they could be used in case of smoke, volcanic ash, chemical air contamination, or other airborne issues.
10. For dogs: a muzzle to prevent him from biting.

Check with your area emergency teams to see if there are classes you could take for Pet First Aid.

Plan to be ready – don’t wait until the emergency arises to gather these items.

Please visit www.pawsitivepamperings.com for dog or cat supplies.

More on Pet Emergency Preparedness

Here are a few additional ideas to think about when focusing on emergency preparedness for your pets.

1. Please take a picture of you and your dog and cat – together. It will help to identify that your pet belongs to you. In some disaster situations, someone other than the owner have claimed a pedigreed pet and other pets! This has been done! This is real! Unbelievable theft!

2. Having collars on your pets, with their names, help to identify the pet should you get separated from them. It will also allow the rescuer to call them by name . You may just want to keepcollars available to place on them if you have to leave your home or if you think they may escape from their surroundings. I know some pet parents don’t keep collars on their pets all of the time.

3. Dogs will have a tendency to become aggressive when they incur danger or perceive a threatening situation. Having a muzzle placed over their nose will prevent someone from getting hurt while they are trying to save or rescue your dog. Add a muzzle to your evacuation kit. If a muzzle isn’t available, wrap gauze around their nose to prevent him from biting. It’s really not the dog’s fault if he becomes aggressive. He is feeling threatened and his natural survival instincts take over.

4. Cats will have a tendency to scratch or bolt away from you. Putting them into a pillowcase could help to contain them – but DON’T tie the ends! You want to contain them, not suffocate them!  A cat carrier would definitely be the ideal.

5. This may sound strange, but if you have any lavender, rub it on their paws and nose – it will help to calm them.

6. Include in your 1st aid kit any of their special needs or medications. Include toys, chew bones for your dogs, or anything that will make this time a little more pleasant for him. For cats, a blanket that they can curl up in may help, along with a toy or treats. Having super glue will help to close minor wounds; styptic stick or powder will help to stop bleeding.

7. Benadryl will help calm your dog, but be sure to use the proper dosage for the weight of your dog!

I will share with you more tips on the next blog to help you make your evacuation just a little bit better, should you have to leave your home.

Please go to www.pawsitivepamperings.com for any of your pets needs.

Pet Evacuation Planning is Necessary

My pet mom recently went to an emergency preparedness expo, and one lecture she attended addressed the issue of pet evacuation in case of a disaster. There was a lot of information so she will share it over the next several blogs. She hopes you will find it helpful in case you are faced with a disaster. I am sure glad she went to hear the presentation because it will keep me safe if we have an event where we live.

Since the hurricane Katrina, the PETS Act 2006 was established. The Act means that all local and state agencies that provide for evacuations shelters or any disasters, they also need to have an emergency preparedness plan for pet shelters also. Don’t ever leave your home without taking your pets! They won’t survive well so don’t leave them behind. Being an indoor cat, I Simba, don’t want to be left behind. I will be scared when they take me somewhere with them, but it will be better than staying at home.

As with yourselves, first and foremost, remember us pets need to have emergency supplies also. We need to have enough food and water for us to last a minimum of 3 days. Actually, disasters, and the relief that goes along with the disasters, may take 1-2 weeks before they can get to us, so it is better to plan for more than less.

You need to make a plan, and practice your plan. We pets need to practice with you. We won’t like it, but we need to know what is going to happen.

You really need to make 2 plans, actually. One plan is if we stay at home and we can’t get out to the store; the second plan is if we have to evacuate.

Also, make sure your pets have enough medication to last. I’m not on any meds, thank goodness, but many pets are. So store food, water and meds for all of your pets in waterproof containers. Be sure and rotate them or check them every 6 months. Make them available to be grabbed quickly if we need to leave. Being emergency prepared will save lives!

More information tomorrow.