Disaster Preparedness

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Before a Disaster Occurs:

• Keep your pets vaccinations up to date and keep a copy of the paperwork easily accessible. Shelters require proof of vaccines.
• Be sure to have collars with ID tags and rabies tags for each of your pets. Always include your area code on the phone number listed.
• Spay and neuter your pets, so your pet wont get pregnant or impregnate if loose during a disaster.
• Make a list of safe havens for your pet during a disaster. Veterinary Clinics, Pet Friendly Hotels, Shelters, Friends and Relatives already designated.
• Have a friend or neighbor lined up to check on your animals if you are working or away from home when a disaster strikes.
• Keep an emergency kit available at all times and rotate the stock.Keep a two week supply of food and water on hand.
• Every family member should have a role in evacuation. This should be planned and rehearsed ahead of a disaster. Practice loading and evacuating with your animals.
• Place stickers on front and back entry ways, barn doors and pasture entrances to notify emergency personnel that animals are present.
• Have photos of you and your pet together for proof of ownership,in your emergency kit.

During a Disaster:

• Bring your pets inside well in advance and reassure them.
• Never leave a pet chained outdoors.
• Pets are frightened by unfamiliar noises and abnormal weather changes. Keep your pet in sight at all times. Reassure.
• Never tranquilize your pet. It inhibits their natural instincts to survive and escape potential danger.
• Have your emergency kit close at hand. Be ready to shelter in place at home.

After a Disaster:

• Help re-orient your pets by walking them on a leash. They may be confused if landmarks and scents are altered.
• Be on the look out for downed power lines , debris and reptiles brought in with flood waters.
• Do not allow your pet to drink water or eat food that could be contaminated.
• Animals can become aggressive or defensive after a disaster after a disaster. Their Flight or Fight instinct kicks in. Monitor their behavior and notify your vet if this behavior does not subside.

Pet Safety in the Aftermath:

• In the days and weeks after a natural disaster, displaced people and animals face many dangers. Especially when people evacuate expecting to return home in just a few days, going back into a disaster site can present a life threatening situation. Always evacuate with your animals!
• Homes, landmarks, and familiar scents that animals use to find their way home or recognize safe areas can simply vanish in a disaster. This causes disorientation, panic, stress and leads dogs and cats to seek refuge in hazardous situations.
• Flood waters contaminated with waste and bacteria can cause gastroenteritis and intestinal parasites. Most forms of bacteria are transmitted to people and animals resulting in wide spread infections.
• Floating hazards such as building materials, street signs, and tree limbs can cause serious injury to humans and animals.
• Animals trying to swim in flood waters can become quickly exhausted  and drown.
• In addition to water supplies, food sources may become contaminated and animals do not understand that they shouldn’t be drink standing water or eat contaminated food.