Pet Emergency Preparedness

If a natural disaster that required emergency evacuation were to strike, would you be ready to help your pets?  Best Friends Animal Society provides a wonderful online article that outlines how to prepare for three types of disasters:

– Immediate: a gas leak or house fire – when immediate evacuation is necessary

– Short warning:  a toxic spill or fire in the neighborhood – when you have to grab your pets and a few supplies and leave within a short period of time

– Seasonal disaster: hurricanes, floods, or wildfires – when you’ll need a plan for gathering your pets, packing up supplies, and evacuating

The following checklist can help you compile your pet emergency kit and construct a plan to keep everyone safe.

Pet emergency kit checklist

Here’s a checklist of some things you can do right now to be prepared for a disaster. Please don’t wait to accomplish these tasks, as they may be too difficult once the emergency has begun.

• Put your pets’ ID on their collars: your name, address, and phone number. Because cellphones and landlines might be down for a while, consider adding the phone number of a relative or friend who lives outside of your area. 
• Periodically check your pets’ collars to make sure they fit properly and tags are securely fastened. If the collar can slip over a pet’s head when you pull on it, you may lose them if they panic and pull back from you.
• In addition to having pets’ ID’s on their collars, get your pets microchipped. Be sure to register the chip in your name and provide additional phone numbers.
• Buy carriers appropriate for your pets’ sizes, which means carriers that give them enough room to stand and turn around. The carriers should be easy to transport. Label each carrier with the pet’s name and your phone number.
• Always have on hand at least a two-week supply of your pets’ medications.
• Take an animal first-aid class if one is offered in your community, and put together a pet first-aid kit.
• Determine where you will go (i.e., homes of relatives or friends, pet-friendly hotels). Identify several evacuation routes to get there because one route might not be accessible in the event of a disaster.
• Keep all paperwork in one easily accessible place in your house or garage so it can be collected at a moment’s notice.  This could include: 
  • current photos of your pets 
  • copies of your pets’ microchip information and contact number for the microchip company
  • medication names, dosages, and instructions
  • updated pets’ vaccination records and veterinarian
  • updated list of phone numbers for animal shelters, animal hospitals, kennels, and pet-friendly hotels

You’ll also want to pack a storage container with necessary items for a pet emergency kit. Even though these are items that you are probably already using, it is helpful to have a set that is specifically set aside to grab and go. Here are some items to consider:

• A roll of paper towels
• A can of pet-friendly cleaner
• Trash bags
• A small bag of litter
• Litter pan
• Pet first-aid kit
• Leashes
• A pair of heavy-duty gloves
• A blanket
• Two towels
• Two bowls
• Can opener and spoon

Some last-minute items to grab include:

• Food — canned and/or dry
• Gallon jug of water
• Your pets’ favorite treats or snacks

Source:

https://bestfriends.org/pet-care-resources/pet-emergency-kit-checklist-and-plan

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The Pet Cremation Center of Southern Utah is located at 1316 S. 400 E., Ste. A3, St. George, UT.  Contact us at (435) 523-4800.  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @PetCremationCenterSU