Are you ready? 5 Tips for Pet Preparedness

Are you ready? 5 Tips for Pet Preparedness

Are you and your pets prepared in the event of a disaster or emergency?  No matter how big or small of an event, being prepared can mean a huge difference for the safety and security of your family.

The best way to get through natural disasters like flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and wildfires is to have a plan in place. Your pets need to be included in this plan because after all they are members of our family. That’s why I’ve compiled my top five tips to help you and your pets prepare in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.

Go Kit!

Do you have a Go Kit?  Are you wondering exactly what a “Go Kit” is?  I loved the TV show Justified on FX and one of the characters had a crime-fighting Go Kit.  You don’t need to be ready to fight crime with your Go Kit, but you should have a bag or kit full of necessary items that you’re going to need in the event of emergency that you can simply Grab & Go.  You should have at least two weeks worth of supplies in your Go Kit.

It will include daily items like foods and medications, but also have items in case of injury as well because you never know what’s going to happen during a disaster.

One great item that you might want to consider including in your Go Kit is an Insect Shield Blanket.   I’ve talked quite a bit about the blanket in the last several weeks because of my recent giveaway.  Not only is it a great blanket to protect you from those nasty flies, ants, ticks and mosquitoes that carry diseases, but it is great for wrapping up in and keeping you warm.  I love the idea of having an item in your Go Kit that serves a dual purpose.

Safety Alert Sticker and Card

Do you have a safety alert sticker for the front door of your home and a card for your wallet with contact information?  If emergency personnel need to come to your home when you’re not there but your pets are, you’re going to want them to know that you have pets inside so they can be safely removed from the home.  A door sticker lets them know the number and type of pets in your family so that they don’t have to guess if they got them all to safety.

Have you ever considered if an emergency were to arise and you were unable to let anyone know that you have pets home alone?  When I last ordered my business cards, I included emergency contact information on the back to be completed and put into your wallet.  When emergency personnel are looking through your wallet to find your ID, they will also find your card that tells them that you have pets at home and who to call so that they can be cared for.

If you haven’t received one of my new business cards, let me know I’d be happy to send you one so that you can have this emergency contact card in your wallet at all times.

Medical Records

You should have your pet’s medical records readily available at all times in case of a natural disaster or other emergency.  What if you had to relocate temporarily?  Would you have access to your pet’s medical records if their regular veterinarian was unavailable?  During disasters, you never know what areas are going to be affected, so it’s best to have this information handy.

If you’re a regular viewer of my Livestream broadcasts you may know that Riedi, who is 13 ½, recently had issues with arthritis.  He woke up one morning barely able to walk!  It was awful worrying about him.   After an office visit, talking to his veterinarian and reviewing his medical history, they determined that his arthritis was the culprit. Riedi is now taking weekly adequan injections and we’ve seen significant Improvement. I can barely tell that just six weeks ago he was having trouble standing up.

If we were to have to temporarily relocate and visit a different veterinarian I would want those medical records immediately available so that he does not have any interruption in getting his injections and they could see from his history how important the adequan injections are for him.  You know he’s feeling good when he starts to counter surf again!

If you have to seek temporary shelter, they may require that you have your pet’s vaccination records.  Petfinder has a great list to help search for temporary shelters that are Pet-Friendly.

Care Instructions

Do you have care instructions written for your pets?  Do they only eat certain treats?  Do they only eat at certain times of day?  Do they have a special diet?  Do they have a favorite toy they can’t sleep without (RIEDI!!!)?  If you are injured or incapacitated, do you have someone that is willing to care for your pets and do they know their routine?  You’re going to want to have care instructions specifically written out so that your pets schedule is interrupted as little as possible.  This can be a stressful time for your pets and having their routine uninterrupted can really mean a big difference to them and your piece of mind.

Pet Parent Safety Forms

So exactly how am I going to come up with all of these lists?  I know that’s what you’re asking me right now.  Good thing that I’m the queen of list-making.  I’ve come up with pet safety forms for you and to simply fill in, print out and get organized.  My pet parent safety forms include a list of everything your pet’s Go Kit should include, a new pet parent planner, pet care instruction list, medical record list and more!  Sign up today and get your pet parent safety forms delivered right to your inbox.  I’ve done the heavy lifting for you.  Enjoy!

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