Protecting our pets during disasters, what belongs in the pack? Is it needed? Continue reading to find out....

They can be taught to carry their own stuff.

Formulating a written plan for disaster preparedness is recommended by emergency response organizations. The planning is done to ensure a methodical, organized, and orderly response to the natural events our communities may face. Constructing a kit to supply food, water, and shelter for a period of 72-hours is the accepted norm for a kit. My recommendation is to have a 7-day kit, adding more water, and food to a 3-day kit is a simple task. Water is the main difference as the kits are equipped with gear that will survive for many months. The difference for one person in the kit is 12 pints of water, 1/2 gallon a day equals 24-pint bottles a week per person. Everyone does not have a kit set up near an exit, in fact, a mere 33% of us have made any preparations at all. One-third of us do, one-thirds thinks it's a good idea but never gets around to it, and the final 33% do not realize the need for preparation. Everyone is different and have different priorities that must be sorted out individually. Our pets, however, do not have the opportunity to prioritize their lives much less be subjective enough to have any inkling of what may lie in their future.

(Click on this Link to read the Center for Disease control and prevention guidelines for disaster preparation for pets.)

It is up to the pet owners to arraign, plan, and put together a written course of action to take on behalf of them. There are as many different pets in our households as there are personalities of the owners, some have special needs. All of them are dependent upon us to maintain the level of security they are used to having, they have loyalty to us which we need to extend to them during times of stress. When the living environment becomes unsafe for us, it is likewise unsafe for our animal companions, including them in our emergency planning is essential to their well-being. Supplies may be included in the 7-day kit or building a special kit for them.

The SPCA offers pet-alert stickers that are applied near the front door to alert first responders of pets inside the evacuated home. Included on them is the breeds and number of animals in the house. Your veterinarian has a place on it to add the name and contact number. If the pets have been evacuated simply write the word "evacuated" across the placard, emergency personnel will know not to look inside for them. Stickers are available at this SPCA  link, local pet supply stores sell them also.

Prepare for a place for your pets to stay, most emergency shelters run by first responders are not equipped to house the many pets, and different types people have. Your veterinarian may have a list of boarding kennels or other facilities that are willing to accept pets during an emergency situation. Well before there is a need for it assemble a list of motels and hotels outside of your immediate area that allows pets, keep in mind the further from the disaster they are the more likely-hood they will have room. Friends or relatives may be open to housing them, ask them and make arraignments well in advance of an upcoming tragedy.

You actually think I will fit in this?

Choosing a caregiver takes time, thought, and planning. Preferably this person will be someone nearby, a person who is normally home during the day, while your household is at work and has easy access to your home. A set of keys to will be given to them, trust is a determining factor, as well as owning a pet. Working out being caregivers for each other is often a workable solution. Its fine for a temporary situation, but if something were to happen to you where a permanent situation is required takes more time and effort.

To select a permanent solution for your pets has requirements far beyond the temporary situation, this, after all, is a person you are entrusting your pets to for their remaining lifetime. (The pets lifetime not the caregiver)

My mother wrote her little dog into her will, my brother in law did not find out he was the proud owner until after her passing and the will was read. It worked out fine, but that is not the best way to address this issue.

If an evacuation order is issued planning for the worst case situation is best, one of the reasons for my recommendation to assemble a 7-day kit versus a 3-day. Expect to be away from your house for an extended period, a few weeks even though the expectation is for one day. Listen to the officials that have issued the order, they are the experts, here are a few things we can do in preparation:

* Up to date tags and sturdy collars, including the pet's name, your telephone number, and all medical needs. If a cage or carrier is used write the same information on the outside of it in an easily seen location, do not write it on the bottom.

* Consider having a microchip as a permanent type of identification, they are placed under the skin around the shoulder and are able to be read by a scanner at animal shelters, and Veterinarian offices.

* A severe weather report should be seen as an alarm to bring all of the pets indoors, cats tend to hide and dogs panic and run due to disorientation and confusion.

* Leashes and their emergency kits should be stored close to an exit, everyone in the household must be familiar with its location. Be certain it is convenient, easy to carry and labeled clearly denoting which animals kit it is.

(Link to a checklist of items to include in the pets kit.)

* The ASPCA offers tips for missing pet recovery, with instructions on conducting a search for a lost animal, under numerous scenarios.

(follow this Link for tips on finding a lost pet.)

* Prior to the catastrophe put together a lost pet flyer, store it on your computer, accessible with your smartphone.  It is prudent to store in the emergency kits hard copies of the flyer, a printer may not be available immediately after the event. The flyer should have a photo of the entire household along with clear images of your pets, your location, the pets names, and the number of your out of area emergency contact.

Get ahead of the catastrophe, make a flyer.

Determine the safe spaces in your house, ascertain which natural disasters are apt to occur in your area and plan accordingly. The spaces, or rooms, should be free of the chance of windows breaking, roofs collapsing, or flooding. Lofts bathrooms and utility rooms normally fill the need, an added benefit is they are easy to keep clean.

Fill all bathtubs, sinks, and buckets with water, it will be needed for the pets to drink, and sanitation needs. Access to fresh water is of the utmost of importance. Along with the natural disaster, power outages take place, shutting down water wells, and means of charging electronic equipment.

Flooding complicates things immensely, it renders water wells useless as well as the lower floors of a house. If the event is a flood retreat to the highest room of the house if none is available high cabinets are a good spot for the pets to stay high and dry.

Birds need to be transported in a covered cage or another type of carrier, perches need to be available to them if they are on the bottom of the cage it must be cleaned daily. Spray a mist of water on them during hot temperatures to keep them cool. A timed feeder is a good way to be certain they are fed while at work the worry will be neutralized of how to feed them if you are not able to return home. Leave the leg bands on them, and include a picture of them on your pet flyer. The inclusion of a catch net in the birds kit is a good idea, the bird may escape, become disoriented and panic flying off to points unknown.

Reptiles need special considerations also, snakes may be transported in a pillowcase re-locating them into a secure, safe and dry place at the first opportunity. Reptiles need to be warm, an open container large enough for them to soak in needs to be provided. A heating device must be included in the disaster kit for our amphibian friends.  Lizards can be transported in the same manner as birds.

Small animals, hamsters, gerbils, and guinea pigs can be transported in carriers, or in their normal cages depending upon the size. Include bedding, food, and a salt lick in the cage.

Large animals such as livestock need special considerations during an evacuation, People in the business of raising livestock are normally experts in the requirements for moving them. Each location is different demanding special procedures moving them to pre-determined safe places. Loading horses and cattle onto trailers takes know-how and experience, most of the owners of these large animals work with them on a regular basis loading them on and off trailers. I have worked with livestock, but I am far from having basic knowledge of the proper procedures for moving unfamiliar animals during a crisis. Every one of the animals I have loaded on a trailer had different reactions, for me to relate to someone about how to handle them would be a major egg on face moment. The proper action to take on my part is to ask how I can help, or after the offer is refused just stay out of the way.

This lady knows without dought how to guide a horse onto
a trailer, it takes skill.

Having a good awareness of our abilities and knowledge in relation to how to manage animals in distress is valuable for us. As usual, if a task is outside of our capabilities it is best to offer support to one who does possess the skills or to make the animal as comfortable as possible until help arrives.

Thank you for reading and sharing this blog, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires are all on our horizons. Preparing for those incidents that may impact our lives places us a step ahead of the 60% that do not. Planning and making preparations for our pets is just as important as making arraignments for ourselves, it is not responsible for us to abandon our pets to meet their own fates which will almost certainly end with it being of the most unfortunate ending.

Thanks again for reading and commenting.

JacquesLebec emergencykitsplus.com