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Preparing for Disaster

How to keep yourself and your animal companions safe

The best way to ensure the safety of our loved ones (both human and non-human) in the event of a large-scale emergency is to be well prepared before disaster strikes. Here are some tips for keeping your animal companions out of harm's way during a crisis situation.

Pack Emergency Kits

You may wish to pack two emergency kits for your animals – one that has everything they need to stay in your home and another portable kit that you can take with you should you need to evacuate. You may wish to put the portable kit in the trunk of your car so that it will be ready if you need to leave on short notice. These kits should include:

  • Enough food (including treats) and water for at least three days preserved in airtight containers
  • Food and water bowls
  • A pan, litter and scoop (for cats)
  • A supply of any medications your animals need
  • A first aid kit (with bandages and medical tape, antiseptic ointment, latex gloves and a reference book on animal first aid)
  • Collar with ID tag and a harness or leash
  • Copies of vaccination papers and registration information
  • A collapsible carrier or crate with bedding

Be sure to check on your kits periodically to make sure the food and water is still fresh and that any documentation is up to date. Also consider getting an identification microchip implanted under your animal companion’s skin and registering with a nationwide recovery database. Consult your veterinarian for more information.

Plan Ahead

Before, during or after an emergency, you may need to determine whether it would be best to stay in your home or evacuate. Whatever you do, keeping your animal companions with you is the best way to ensure their safety. Depending on the nature and extent of the crisis, you may not be able to return home for days or even weeks. Leaving animals alone during an emergency can put them in serious danger of becoming lost, hurt or killed, so this should be avoided if at all possible.

If for some reason you absolutely must evacuate your home without your animals, do not leave them outside: put them in the most secure area of your home. Also leave out at least a 10-day supply of dry food and several dishes full of water. Your toilet can also be a water source, but be sure that it is free of disinfectants and other toxic chemicals. If you do evacuate without your animals, leave a sign on the front door indicating that there are animals inside, as well as how many and what kinds.

However, you should be able to take your animals with you in the event of a disaster if you take these precautions:

  • Know where to go – Many emergency shelters will not allow animals, so you should be prepared to go elsewhere in a crisis. Staying with friends or family in a safe area is perhaps the best choice. Also make a list (including addresses and phone numbers) of hotels that allow animals during an emergency situation and kennels where you could board your animals. Your local animal shelter or animal care and control agency may be able to help you find this information.
  • Create a support network – Talk with your family, friends or neighbors about evacuating your animals should disaster strike when you are away from home. Make sure your backup has a key for your house and any phone numbers where you can be reached, and that you have their phone numbers. Also show them where your emergency kit is kept in case sudden evacuation is necessary. Agree on a meeting place where you can rendezvous.
  • Let rescuers know that there are "animals inside" – Put stickers in the windows nearest your doors that indicate you have animals, including what kind and how many. If you are away from home when disaster strikes (a fire, for example), this will let rescue workers know to look for your animals.

Know What to Expect

Each region of the country is susceptible to different types of disasters: for instance, while hurricane season endangers the southeastern U.S. every summer, earthquakes could strike the West Coast at any moment. If you know what kinds of disasters are most likely to occur in your area, you will be better able to prepare for them. Visit www.ready.gov or call 1-800-BE-READY for information about the types of emergencies you may have to deal with and the plans your state and local governments have in place to handle large-scale disasters.