Emergency Evacuation: Safeguarding Your Pet During Pet Preparedness Month
Pet Preparedness Month is the perfect time to remind all pet families of the importance of including pets in disaster response efforts and evacuation plans.
It isn’t pleasant to ponder the potential devastation of natural or manmade disasters such as housefires, flooding, or tornadoes, but when seconds count, having a plan in place ahead of time can protect you and your pets from further trauma.
Our caring team at Beverly Hills Veterinary Associates has put together some tips for safeguarding the wellbeing of your pets before disaster strikes.
Include Pets in Your Evacuation Plans
If your disaster response requires evacuating your home, you need to take your pets with you. Research ahead of time hotels that allow pets and pet-friendly shelters. Another option? Find a friend or family member within driving distance who will allow you and your pets to seek refuge at their home during an emergency. You can also contact our team for emergency animal boarding facilities and pet-friendly shelters in our area.
Evacuation Checklist for Pets
The Humane Society provides an evacuation checklist of items for creating a pre packaged kit of pet essentials, including:
- A week’s worth of pet food, drinking water, and bowls
- Prescription medications in a waterproof container
- A pet first-aid kit
- Litter box, litter, scoop, and plastic bags for disposal
- Leash, harness, and/or carrier
- Recent photos of you with your pet for pet identification
- Toys, blankets
- Veterinarian’s contact information
- Cleaning supplies like disinfectant wipes, paper towels, and pet wipes for fur
Prepare to Part Ways
Any disaster response plan should include the possibility that you and your pet will become separated. Perhaps you aren’t home during the disaster, your pet escapes during the commotion, or you and your pet have to seek shelter in separate locations. Whatever the case, proper pet identification can greatly improve your chances of being reunited with your pet. Have your pet microchipped if you haven’t already; make sure your pet’s microchip information is up to date; check your pet’s ID tags to make sure they contain current contact information; and consider smart collars that offer GPS tracking capabilities.
Prioritize Routine Pet Care
New environments at hotels, shelters, boarding facilities, and even a friend’s house can expose your pet to communicable diseases and parasites from unprotected pets. Keep your pet up to date with flea and tick protection and vaccinations by never skipping a wellness visit.
Remain Calm But Vigilant
It’s important to move quickly, but calmly during any disaster response, and to be prepared to make sudden changes to your evacuation plans if necessary. Pets can sense stress and anxiety, and a frightened pet is more likely to run or hide when you need to find them.
At Beverly Hills Veterinary Associates, we care about your pet’s safety and overall well being. Please contact us if you have more questions about safeguarding your pet during emergencies.