Friday, July 27, 2012

Emergencies and Your Pet: Have a Plan

By Pamela Noble


Things occur that are beyond our control each day. Emergencies can spring up with no notice, leaving you and your family and friends in dangerous situations. While there is no way to anticipate or avoid some hazards, there are ways that you can prepare and have a plan in place to improve your position if the worst should happen. Here's some advice to handle serious scenarios with your pets.

Prepare

Being prepared in the slim case of an emergency can be the honest to goodness difference between life and death for you and your pets. Time is always a significant factor of survival and fast reaction can be the reason you escape unscathed, rather than scrambling and not knowing what to do. Have a plan, and systems in place to permit you to do what you have to do within a couple of seconds, and with confidence.

The very first thing you must do for your pets is to form a contingency plan with a neighbor. It should be someone you trust with the care of your pet and a key to your place, and it has to be somebody close by. Having somebody available to check on your pet and supply emergency food, clean up or evacuation for your pets is extremely important. This will come into play in situations where you can't get back to your home for an extended period, for example in the event of a snow or ice storm, industrial accidents obstructing you from your street, or an emergency trip to the ER.

Make sure the neighbor you've chosen is comfortable with your pets and will not have to chase them down or expend a great deal of time hunting for them. Create an emergency supply kit for your pets that a caretaker can grab quickly , containing everything critical to your pet while you are away.

Emergency Supply Kit

The kit container may be a pet carrier or crate. It should contain food and water, medications, first aid supplies, ID, vaccination tags, proof of ownership, emergency contacts, collar, leash, plastic bags, cleaners and disinfectant, linens, and toys.

In The event of Evacuation

If you've got to abandon your house and it's safe to bring your pets with you, do so. You could have everything you need in the short term in your emergency supply kit. Bear in mind that most evacuation centers do not allow pets, apart from service animals, due to allergies and restricted space and supplies. Therefore, if you are looking to bring your pets with you in the case of an evacuation, you're going to need to have a secure place prepared ahead of time to retreat to in the crisis.

Start by checking out which hotels in your area welcome pets. Call around and ask about their policies concerning breeds, size and species. Compile a record of pet-safe places to stay and if feasible call as fast as you know that you have to evacuate to secure a room. Check with friends to determine if they'd be ok to take you and your pets, or simply you pets, in the event of an emergency. Also check with pet boarding facilities and veterinary offices that might be well placed to harbor your pet in case of an evacuation. Keep their contact information handy. You might like to keep these lists in your emergency supply kit.

Worst Case Scenario

If there's an emergency scenario where you have no choice but to leave your pets behind, do not fight it or argue with emergency workers, but have a plan in place to give your pets the best chance at safety. Put your pets in the most secure room, with no windows, but satisfactory ventilation, such as a basement, den or a rest room. You might have to use pet gates to ensure your pets will not leave a safe area. Leave sufficient food out to last a couple of days. Leave as much water as possible. If leaving your pets in the rest room, fill the sink, tub and any empty containers with water. Your pet will be stressed and drink more water than normal so this its important that they have as much as feasible. Give them as many comforts as feasible such as bedding, favorite toys, and treats. Cage tiny animals and do not leave animals that may fight in the same room (ex. Cats and dogs). Confirm your pet has their ID tags on. Leave notice that there are pets inside such as a note on your front door.

Don't leave your pet tied up outside!

Hope against hope, you will never need to use your emergency plan and emergency supply kit, but if the worst should occur, being prepared can save the lives of you and your pet by saving precious time and having the essentials at hand. You will never regret being properly prepared.




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