One never knows when an emergency is going to arise. We here in the Pacific Northwest live in the Cascadia Subduction Zone and know that eventually a large earthquake will happen. You may have emergency rations for yourself and your family, weeks worth of canned goods at the ready, and jugs of fresh drinking water, but do you have emergency supplies for your four-legged family members?
Step 1: Microchipping
One of the most important things you can do for your pets is get them microchipped. If your pet gets separated from you somehow you can be reunited. Make sure your address and phone number is up to date and correct and don't forget to update if you move! You can have your pet microchipped at your vet's office for a small fee and can usually update the information online for it. (Speaking of the vet's office, make sure your pet's vaccines are up to date in case they get separated from you and are roaming for awhile.)
Step 2: Have an emergency and first aid kit ready to go
Some things to include in a pet emergency kit are:
- Emergency contact information for the pet's normal vet
- Contact information for a backup vet in case your normal vet is not available
- Contact information for someone who is a close friend of the family in case you are not available
- Poison control's phone number
- Animal control's phone number
A good first aid kit might include:
- Clean towels
- Gauze
- Gauze pads in varying sizes
- Scissors
- Disposable gloves
- Tweezers
- A small knife
- First aid tape
- Bandages
- Wound disinfectant
- Kwik stop powder
- Saline solution
- Rectal thermometer
- Cotton swabs
- Flashlight
- Disposable garbage bags
- A disposable litter tray and extra litter for cats
- A blanket and/or foil emergency blanket
- Spare leash or slip lead
- A spare collar
- A spare kennel
- Some of the pet's food (remember to rotate every couple of months)
- The pet's medication and photocopies of the pet's prescriptions either printed or saved in the cloud
- One week's worth of water for every person and pet
Store these items in a place that's easy to grab them and go, if the need arises, such as an entryway closet, a storage shelf near the door, or the like.
Step 3: Have a rescue alert sticker
This sticker lets rescuers know what pets live in your home. Usually found near the front door, it can be extremely helpful in an emergency! You can often get these stickers from your vet's office, pet stores, or ordering them online.
Step 4: Have a safe place in mind to go if you need to leave your home
If you have to evacuate your house, EVERYONE needs to be evacuated and a plan needs to be had where both you and your pets can go. Not all shelters take animals and so having a plan of where to go before an emergency hits is the best route!
- Contact your vet to see if they have any recommendations for a shelter that takes both people and their pets.
- Have a list of hotels that take pets
- Your local animal shelter may provide emergency shelter or emergency fostering
- Know which friends may be able to help out!
Having a plan will set you up for the best chance of success in an emergency! What else would you consider important in an emergency? Have you experienced an emergency and had to take your pets with you? What would you have done differently, looking back? I'd love to hear people's responses so that we can all learn from each other!
