Helpful Hints If Pet Owners Have to Evacuate Your Home
If you live in areas where you can be affected by a Mother Nature disaster please read below.
1) If you need to evacuate, PLEASE TAKE YOUR ANIMALS WITH YOU!
HAVE A PLAN MEMORIZE IT AND STICK TO IT.
DO A SIMULATED EMERGENCY DRILL WITH YOUR FAMILY AND PETS.
PICK A LEADER, FOLLOW THE LEADER AND DO NOT ARGUE WITH THE LEADER.
KNOW SEVERAL PLACES OF EXIT.
DO NOT ENCLOSE YOURSELF AND YOUR PETS TO THE POINT THAT YOU CANNOT GET OUT.
2) In the event that you cannot take the animal where you are going, please make arrangements to board your animal in a safe and reputable boarding facility or vet office INLAND.
3) If you are going to a shelter with your animal please make sure you call you veterinarian before hand so you can get a copy of your pet(s) vet records and proof of vaccinations.
Most shelters will NOT take your pet in if the pet doesn't have at least a rabies shot.
Also, at shelters that accept pets, they are many other pets besides yours' so it is IMPERATIVE that your pet(s) is up to date on shots this way she/he will be protected from diseases.
4) If you are packing for you , please park for your pets, you don't need to take the cat tree or the dog house, but please pack a few familiar things for your pet that has the smell of his house.
Specially if you go to a shelter.
Taking a few toys to entertain the pet is a must.A familiar blanket will be good too and rescue remedy to relieve stress.
Please don't just take your pet in a carrier specially if is a cat.But also a crate big enough where the cat can confortably stand and a litter box can be put in and water dishes can be place inside.
5) Getting your pet microchip is highly advisable, but if the pet is not chipped yet please put ID TAGS on your pet(s) NOW.If your pet is a cat please use the breakaway collars.
6) If your pet takes medication make sure you have enough to get you through the storm if you don't remember to call your vet for a refill.
This will be a good time to ask your vet for extra meds such as antibiotics to have handy in case your pet gets sick.
Specially cats any sudden change in cats can cause a lot of stress and bring up URI's, UTI's (is not stress related but stress can cause it) to name a few.
Specially in males if a UTI is not treated right away it can be life threatening so having antibiotics handy is a good idea.
If you get antibiotics use the pill form because it needs no refrigeration.
Buy at least food and water supply for your pet to last you for 2 weeks.
Bottle water is best as tab water may be contaminated after the storm(listen to authorities for warning of contaminated water.
Contaminated water causes disease in people and also in pets.
If you cannot afford botlle water for your pets then you can purified the water by following these simple steps:
Hold water at a rolling boil for 1 minute to kill bacteria. If you can't boil water, add 1/8 teaspoon (approximately 0.75 mL) of newly purchased, unscented liquid household bleach per gallon of water. Stir the water well, and let it stand for 30 minutes before you use it. You can use water-purifying tablets instead of boiling water or using bleach.
7) Disinfect your pet(s) toys that have come in contact with water. Use a solution of 1 cup of bleach in 5 gallons of water to disinfect the toys. Let toys air dry after cleaning. Some toys, such as stuffed animals and cannot be disinfected; they should be discarded.
8) If you are riding out the storm at your home.
Place all your animals in one room if possible and place carriers in the same room so you will have them handy as well as collars leashes.
If your pet(s) are cats learn about the places your cat(s) likes to hide, so you will know the places where your may be hiding if things get ugly.
If things do get ugly DO NOT PANIC, stay as calm as you can be.
If you panic your animals will panic too/
Remember that pets can sense human emotions!
A lobster net is a good tool to have in case you cannot get your cat.
Even the most tamed kitties can get pretty mean under stress.
9) Please have rope and ax, a flashlight and your keys all in one place, so if you need to get out and in the event that you loose power you know where everything is.
8) Remember that pets sense Mother Nature disasters days before any radar can pick them up, so they may be a bit stress already without anybody noticing.
7) If you have no choices but to leave your pets alone (NOT ADVISABLE)
DO NOT CHAIN YOUR PET TO ANYTHING.
DO NOT TRANQUALIZE YOUR PET, PETS NEED TO BE ALERT TO RELAY ON THEIR INSTINCTS.
Leave plenty of dry food and water and put a dish of water under the dish of dry food so aunts will not get in the food.
Put as many litter boxes as you can all over your house.
Wee Wee pads for dogs or newspaper.
If you have an ansering machine do call your animals and let them hear your voice while you are away.
Have a landline telephone, NO the ones that you need to plug in.
Do NOT leave lamps on, if you want to leave a light on for your pet, please leave a ceiling fixture on.
If things get bad, lamps can tip over if the area is flood your pet(s) can be electrocuted.
Do not leave wet food for you pets because it will spoil and your pet will get sick.
If you board up your house, please leave an exit for your pet(s) perhaps a screened cracked
window chances are that your house is insure, so if your roof blows away you are covered but your pet won't be if there is a flood and the water rises up to your roof, like it did with Katrina.
9) Good luck be safe with your 4 legged little ones and since I am preparing for Ike myself with my fur kids I did not have time to spell check!
I hope I have at least covered the things that are most important hope this helps.
Celene Albano
HPR Rescue CEO
www.hurricanepetsre
ADOPTIONS:
www.hurricanepets.
Telephone:
786-999-8239
Paws of Gold Feline Rescue
Member of the board.
www.pawsofgold.