‘Tis the season for information about pets and disasters. With a crazy-active hurricane season and the wildfire time in the West this year, we need to check out tips for pets and disasters, so here goes:
Sometime when there is not a disaster in your area, make a disaster plan and a disaster kit. Basically, the kits may contain (for each pet in your home):
- food for 3-5 days.
- food and water dishes
- medicines for 7-10 days, in case you cannot get home for some time
- microchipping and identity tags, but with a quick release collar if possible
- one of the GPS trackers for pets if possible
- veterinary records
- your contact information on or affixed to collar
- picture of each pet on phone and an actual picture; in case your cell phone is dead and you and the pet are separated
- blanket or bedding
- bottled water
- litter boxes, litter
- paper towels, dish soap and clean up materials
- disposable garbage bags.
Have the kit in bags ready to go.
Try to plan as far ahead as possible more than one scenario. Will you stay or go? Will you head to hotel out of town or a shelter with pet accommodations? Will you head to family members?
If you do plan to leave, have crates or carriers ready and know where your pet may like to hide in the house. Your pets will be picking up on your worry, so you may want to crate them early the day you are leaving. Write all your contact information on the carriers.
Of course, there’s an app for this! I like the free app from the ASPCA. It has information to prepare, before a disaster, during and after.
Red Rover.com has very good information and currently has specific information for owners who may be affected by hurricane Irma:
https://redrover.org/article/resources-hurricane-irma-pet-owners
I hope you do some of these early preparation steps and I hope you never need them.
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Great list — it is simple, but has everything we would need. We pets appreciate your care of us more than you can imagine!
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It’s so important to be prepared for a disaster if you have pets. I’m not fully prepared and I need to get my kit well stocked.
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great post and we are so so so ready for anything here, I am a Jewish Mom so I worry all the time LOL – but you are correct we have to be ready for all – be safe
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Great information. In northern Illinois, my main concern is tornados where we only get a few seconds to respond. Having pets microchipped and a collar with tags are a must. I see too many loose dogs without tags.
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These are great tips! It is so important to be pet prepared. Thanks for sharing such a comprehensive list of items to include in a disaster kit. Stay safe.
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Here in New Zealand with earthquakes occurring at any time it is always in our best interests to be prepared and have our cats’ food and equipment ready to do.
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It has been a terrible and scary season for natural disasters! As much as we would like to think it won’t happen to us, we must be prepared. Thanks for this great list so we can be ready.
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As someone who has had to evacuate several times due to Mother Nature, I know the importance of lists like this. Thanks for putting it together!
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You’re right, there have been SOooo many natural disasters in the last year and I don’t see them ending. Great disaster prep list!
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
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