Emergencies Happen…Have a Pet Plan!
We never know when life will throw us a curve ball. Is your dog sitter/walker available at the 11th hour? If not, what will you do? Of course, stuff like this happens more often that we’d like and hopefully, you’re prepared to handle this. But what if another Hurricane Katrina happens or you can’t get back to your home to retrieve your pet in case of an emergency like a flash flood, or wildfire or…..? Who could foretell that the the homeowners in the area around the World Trade Center would not be able to retrieve their pets immediately following 9/11? Since Katrina, 5 years ago this August, laws have been passed and towns and local municipalities have been working on provisions to ensure that in a natural disaster emergency, pets and their families will have places to go together, that retrieval efforts will be made available should a separation occur or that there are local places that pets can be dropped off where your animals will remain safe and secure until you can safely return.
However, the onus is on US, the pet parent, to HAVE A PLAN and know, in advance, what options are available. The plans should range from simply designating a friend in a nearby town as a “go to” person or having pet photos and tracking chip numbers on your phone or laptop to more elaborate plans like ensuring that pet carriers are at the ready along with some food and any medications that might be needed. Know which shelters in your area will take pets if need be. I just discovered PetFriendly Travel.com which has links to great emergency preparedness sites along with listings and numbers of pet friendly shelters, by state. Ready.org offers a downloadable guide for pet owners to help us all plan for the unexpected. Another downloadable brochure is offered by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and is quite extensive covering animals of all types–horses, livestock in addition to our run-of-the-mill pooches and kitties and birds. They really mean it when they titled it, “Saving the Whole Family.”
Of course, I always think I would NEVER leave my pets behind and I don’t ever, ever think I would or even could, but sometimes, one has to think of the unthinkable. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Don’t let what happened to Val right after Hurricane Katrina happen to your beloved furry friend.
Val, upon adoption by us
A happy & healthy Val, 2010
Brandy and Val are two rescue dogs who are now very fortunate pooches. Our mission at Brandy and Val, LLC is “to do good where good is needed” and it is through the sales of our children’s books, Brandy and Val, Real Dogs with Real Tales, and toys that we aim to improve the lives of sheltered, abused and abandoned animals. It is through our pet therapy that we hope to benefit the lives of children and their families.
Tags: AVMA, BRANDY AND VAL, disaster, emergency preparedness, FEMA, Hurricane Katrina, pet evacuation plan, Ready.org
December 1st, 2010 at 12:43 am
I have this new site with all pink dog clothes. I believe you will love it.
May 5th, 2011 at 4:10 pm
thanks a lot!
November 22nd, 2011 at 1:29 am
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