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KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE WHILE YOU WAIT TO EVACUATE
If you anticipate high winds, blowing branches, thunder, and generally scary weather, but you do not feel the need to evacuate, consider keeping your pets in a carrier or small, safe room where they will feel more secure. It will also keep them from panicking and running out an open door during the worst of the weather.
If you have reptiles and there is a chance the electricity could be turned off, you may want to order a small battery operated portable generator (Amazon) as a backup for keeping their heater turned on.
Put their medications and some pet food in a watertight container, in case your home floods, and you have to grab your animals and their essentials to evacuate at the last minute. Sometimes weather can become unexpectedly violent at the last minute.
TAKE YOUR PETS WITH YOU WHEN YOU EVACUATE
Even if you have not been given an emergency evacuation order, yet, it is always wise to hit the road as soon as you think there might be a problem. Don't wait to be told to leave. For example, if you have a hurricane or wildfire headed in your direction, don't wait until it is on top of you. If possible, leave a day or two before everyone else, and take your pets along. That is the best way to keep yourself and your pets safe and avoid getting caught in a traffic jam during a mass exodus.
Long before you ever have to evacuate, think about where you could go in an emergency. Do you have friends or relatives in a different area, but within driving distance, who would let you stay with them for a few days? You might also check out pet friendly motels which would provide a safe place to stay in an emergency. Keep a list of ideas, along with the phone numbers of pet friendly hotels, in a special spot on your phone, so you don't have to scramble at the last minute. You might also want to include the phone number of boarding places or vet clinics, just in case you have to board your pet for a few days while your family stays in a shelter or someplace where pets are not allowed.
Make sure you keep up with your pets' vaccinations, and keep copies of the records in a convenient location where you can take them with you if you need to board your pets during an emergency. You may even want to keep photos of the documents on your phone.
MAKE SURE YOUR PETS HAVE IDENTIFICATION
What if your cat goes flying out the door just as you are trying to get everyone loaded into the car? You can increase their survival chances simply by making sure your pet can be identified, either with a microchip or a collar with your phone number on it. It is not uncommon for hundreds of pets to be taken to local shelters after a major disaster, and this will make it much easier for your animals to be returned to you.
GATHER YOUR OWN EVACUATION SUPPLIES TOGETHER
Once you have your pets contained, make sure you have your own emergency supplies together. Pack a small "get away bag," with a change of clothes and copies of important papers inside. You may want to put everything in a plastic garbage bag inside of your suitcase, to keep things dry. Load your supplies in your car, so you are prepared to evacuate. Don't forget to add the pet supplies.
Once you have everything necessary packed into your car, take your children and pets to the car. The pets should be in carriers, if possible, so they do not run off at the last minute.
WHAT IF YOUR PETS ARE AT HOME, BUT YOU ARE NOT?
Everyone should have an evacuation plan for their pets, especially for those times when you are not at home. Make sure a neighbor who gets along with your pets has a key to your home. Ask them if they would try to grab your pets in an emergency.
Be sensitive to the fact that your neighbor will need to put their own safety, and the safety of their family, ahead of the safety of your pets. However, if they are willing and able to evacuate your animals, make it as easy as possible for them to do so. Keep their carriers in an obvious location where someone can quickly grab them and load your pets.
You also should order "Pets Inside" window stickers (Amazon) which will notify first responders that you may have pets in your home. You can get ones which can be peeled from the windows, so you can easily remove them if you evacuate, and help First Responders save the time they would spend checking your home for animals you have removed. These stickers also make a thoughtful housewarming gift for new neighbors with pets.
OTHER WAYS TO CARE FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR PETS
The best way to care for your pet is to take care of yourself. Long before you have a disaster, you should put together a convenient disaster evacuation kit that contains copies of important documents, a first-aid kit for yourself and your pet, extra clothing for you, and extra leashes and harnesses for your pet. Whether you use these supplies in order to ride out a storm at home, or when you seek shelter somewhere else, it is smart to be as prepared as possible.
You may also want to include photos of your pets, in case you get separated.
Many people have a disaster kit that contains a week's worth of food and water for you, your family, and your pet. This is handy to have in situations where you need to take care of yourselves for a period of time after a disaster such as a hurricane or earthquake. You may have to be independent for days or a week, so it is smart to be prepared.
If you take these actions, both you and your pet are more likely to stay safe, even in a major disaster.
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