Prepare for Disaster with your Pets
Hurricanes…tornados…floods…all kinds of trouble
In 2004, when we were hit by the backside of Hurricane Charlie, we suffered power outages and limbs in the yard.
Two years later, Hurricane Wilma was an entirely different story.
In late October of 2005, we were in central Florida on a Friday afternoon and trying to decide what to do. The forecast was for Wilma to make a direct hit upon that coast. So we returned to our home in Southwest Florida… and waited.
On Sunday morning, the weather seers said that it might hit close to our area, but that it would be with minimal force.
Unfortunately, early Monday morning, about 4:00 a.m. Hurricane Wilma, now a full force five monster (only 3 Category Five Hurricanes have made landfall in the United States since records began, Wilma was a Five hurricane at peak intensity and is the strongest Atlantic tropical cyclone on record) sounding like a locomotive, was headed right for our door. It was too late to evacuate…we ducked into the hall way and covered ourselves with mattresses. After some four hours of screaming wind and torrential rainfall it was over.
But then came the aftermath. Almost two weeks of no electricity, spoiled food and clean up and clean up…
On April 9th, Dr. William Gray, of the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University made his annual prognostication regarding the upcoming hurricane season that lasts roughly from June until the middle of November. Dr Gray predicted that 8 major hurricanes would hit the U.S. during the 2008 season.
It is estimated that after Hurricanes Katrina devastated New Orleans in August of 2005, that over 250,000 household pets were abandon and forced to fiend for themselves.
As a response to this disaster, Congress passed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006, which amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to ensure that State and local emergency preparedness operational plans address the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals following a major disaster or emergency.
Disaster will strike all of us at one time or another. We just don’t know when or where. As pet owners, we have the responsibility or planning for the care of our pets during these chaotic times.
According the the American Red Cross, the best way to protect your family from the effects of a disaster is to have a disaster plan. If you are a pet owner, that plan must include your pets. Being prepared can save their lives.
Different disasters require different responses. But whether the disaster is a hurricane or a hazardous spill, you may have to evacuate your home.
The Red Cross provides the following information...in the event of a disaster, if you must evacuate, the most important thing you can do to protect your pets is to evacuate them, too. Leaving pets behind, even if you try to create a safe place for them, is likely to result in their being injured, lost, or worse. So prepare now for the day when you and your pets may have to leave your home.
1. Have a Safe Place To Take Your Pets.
Red Cross disaster shelters cannot accept pets because of states' health and safety regulations and other considerations. Service animals who assist people with disabilities are the only animals allowed in Red Cross shelters. It may be difficult, if not impossible, to find shelter for your animals in the midst of a disaster, so plan ahead. Do not wait until disaster strikes to do your research.
• Contact hotels and motels outside your immediate area to check policies on accepting pets and restrictions on number, size, and species. Ask if "no pet" policies could be waived in an emergency. Keep a list of "pet friendly" places, including phone numbers, with other disaster information and supplies. If you have notice of an impending disaster, call ahead for reservations.
• Ask friends, relatives, or others outside the affected area whether they could shelter your animals. If you have more than one pet, they may be more comfortable if kept together, but be prepared to house them separately.
• Prepare a list of boarding facilities and veterinarians who could shelter animals in an emergency; include 24-hour phone numbers.
• Ask local animal shelters if they provide emergency shelter or foster care for pets in a disaster. Animal shelters may be overburdened caring for the animals they already have as well as those displaced by a disaster, so this should be your last resort.
2. Assemble a Portable Pet Disaster Supplies Kit
Whether you are away from home for a day or a week, you'll need essential supplies. Keep items in an accessible place and store them in sturdy containers that can be carried easily (duffel bags, covered trash containers, etc.). Your pet disaster supplies kit should include:
• Medications and medical records (stored in a waterproof container) and a first aid kit.
• Sturdy leashes, harnesses, and/or carriers to transport pets safely and ensure that your animals can't escape.
• Current photos of your pets in case they get lost.
• Food, potable water, bowls, cat litter/pan, and can opener.
• Information on feeding schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems, and the name and number of your veterinarian in case you have to foster or board your pets.
• Pet beds and toys, if easily transportable.
3. Know What To Do As a Disaster Approaches
• Often, warnings are issued hours, even days, in advance. At the first hint of disaster, act to protect your pet.
• Call ahead to confirm emergency shelter arrangements for you and your pets.
• Check to be sure your pet disaster supplies are ready to take at a moment's notice.
• Bring all pets into the house so that you won't have to search for them if you have to leave in a hurry.
• Make sure all dogs and cats are wearing collars and securely fastened, up-to-date identification. Attach the phone number and address of your temporary shelter, if you know it, or of a friend or relative outside the disaster area. You can buy temporary tags or put adhesive tape on the back of your pet's ID tag, adding information with an indelible pen.
The Red Cross further advises that you may not be home when the evacuation order comes. Find out if a trusted neighbor would be willing to take your pets and meet you at a prearranged location. This person should be comfortable with your pets, know where your animals are likely to be, know where your pet disaster supplies kit is kept, and have a key to your home. If you use a petsitting service, they may be available to help, but you need to discuss the possibility with them well in advance.
Planning and preparation will enable you to evacuate with your pets quickly and safely. But keep in mind that animals react differently under stress. Outside your home and in the car, keep dogs securely leashed and transport cats in carriers. Don't leave animals unattended anywhere they can run off. The most trustworthy pets may panic, hide, and try to escape, or even bite or scratch. And, when you return home, give your pets time to settle back into their routines.
Planning for disaster is a part of the estate planning for your pet.
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