I was talking to one of my colleagues recently and, being an animal lover, she was very concerned about what was happening to the animals that were also victims of the recent natural disasters in Texas, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Napa Valley.

So, since I’ve never written about anything related to your furry family members, I thought this would be as good a time as any to provide some helpful information.  Some would say … “better late than never” but, living in California we never know when the next earthquake will hit so this is really not too late.    

Emergencies, disasters, evacuations, will be stressful on your pet as well as on you and your family.   It is important to keep them as safe as you can as they rely on you.  So, just like you would gather materials for your own safety, it is important to set aside an emergency kit for your pets.  Here are just a few suggestions to help you get started:

  1. Get something to put all of the things you’ll need for your pet (ie, duffle bag, plastic bin) 
  2. If your pet is on medication, make sure to have an extra on hand
  3. Make sure to have food, water and treats.  It is recommended that you have a minimum of 3 days worth.
  4. Include at least 2 collapsible bowls (for food and water) 
  5. Consider getting a microchip for your pets.  It’s the #1 way lost animals are reunited with their owners. Make sure the personal information is up to date with your current mobile number as well as a phone number of a close friend or relative.  You can call the company you registered with and update it or, if you aren’t sure, ask your vet to scan your pet and let you know what the read out says.  
  6. Something that may be very useful, but doesn’t seem obvious to put in your pets emergency kit, is a recent photo of you with your pet. This proves ownership and aids in finding your pet if it gets lost.  
  7.   Keep an eye on pets when the emergency is over.  It can take them time to get back to normal and they are good at covering up ailments or injuries that may have occurred.    
  8.   Below are some links to sites that contain a plethora of information as well: 

https://www.ready.gov/animals

http://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/pet-disaster-preparedness#Pet-Emergency-Kit

http://wtop.com/animals-pets/2017/09/build-emergency-preparedness-kit-pets/

http://www.petmd.com/dog/care/evr_multi_top10_emergency_pet_kit_items

I hope this information was helpful!

NOTE*  If you haven’t prepared an emergency kit for yourself or your family, PLEASE do so now.  Or, you can always purchase one on the shop page. It’s easy and its affordable!

Author: Dina Braverman