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Preparing Your
Pet for Emergencies |
If
you are like millions of animal owners, your pet
is an important member of your family. The
likelihood that you and your pet will survive an
emergency such as a fire, flood, tornado or
terrorist attack depends largely on the
emergency planning you do today. Some of
the things you can do to prepare for the
unexpected, such as assembling an animal
emergency supply kit and developing a pet care
buddy system, are the same for any emergency.
Whether you decide to stay put in an emergency
or evacuate to a safer location, you will need
to make plans in advance for your pet.
If
you must evacuate, take your pet with you if
possible. However, if you are going to a
public shelter, it is important to understand
that animals may not be allowed inside.
Plan in advance for shelter alternatives that
will work for both you and your pet. Make
a back-up emergency plan in case you cannot care
for your animals yourself. Develop a buddy
system with neighbors, friends and relatives to
ensure that someone is available to care for or
evacuate your pet if you are unable to do so.
Be prepared to improvise and use what you have
on hand to make it on your own for at least three
(3) days, maybe longer.
