Community Corner

Include Pets in Hurricane Preparation

Man's best friend is often overlooked in times of natural disasters -- here's how to assure pets ride out the storm safely.

While preparations are underway for the possibility of the powerful hurricane dubbed Irene hitting the area Saturday night into Sunday, easily overlooked is the safety of pets.

Pets are just as vulnerable to injury as humans, so pet owners need to take steps to assure their safety along with that of the rest of the family. Preparing ahead of time is essential to assure your animal companions weather the storm safely.

Here's a list of steps to take before, during and after a storm: 

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  • If forced to evacuate, if at all possible, always bring your pet with you. If it's not safe for you to stay, it's not safe for your pet.
  • Plan ahead where you will go with your pet. Most shelters, including those run by the American Red Cross, won't take in pets. For a list of hotels in Connecticut that accept pets, click here. If you live in vulnerable areas such as the shoreline, it's wise to make reservations ahead of time since spots will fill up fast.
  • Stock up on your pet's food -- two to four weeks worth is recommended. For cats and dogs, dry food is better to have on hand than wet food unless the wet food is in single-serving containers since refrigeration of leftovers may not be available.
  • Make sure you have ample supplies of any medications your pet takes.
  • Have on hand basic pet supplies, including collars, muzzles, leashes and crates lined with blankets and large enough for your pet to stand up and hold food and water dishes. Tape your name and address and phone number, as well as your pet's name and veterinarian's phone number on the top of the carrier.  
  • Make sure your pet has on it some form of identification, including its rabies tags. During emergencies, pets can panic and become lost, and having some form of identification on the animal greatly increases the chances of it being reunited with its owner.
  • Basic tags should include the owner's name and phone number, and collars embroidered with the pets name and owner's phone number also are available. Microchipping is the best form of identification because it can't be separated from the animal since it is embedded under the skin.
  • If you pet exhibits nervousness during storms, ask your veterinarian for a perscription for tranquilizers to have on hand and learn how to properly administer them.
  • If you evacuate your home and have to leave your pet behind, post a sign in a window stating there is a pet in the house that might need to be rescued. Decals are available on line or hand-write a sign and post it in several places on your home. But leaving a pet behind is not a good option -- pets need to be evacuated along with people.  

A pet emergency kit is something every pet owner should have on hand for each pet you own, and no more so than in the case of an emergency such as a hurricane. Here's how to stock your kit, from the Connecticut Humane Society:

  • Current medication
  • Medical/Vaccination records
  • Special medical/behavioral instructions
  • Picture of your pet, picture of YOU with your pet
  • All ID numbers (license tags/microchips/tattoos)
  • List of identifying features/marks
  • Emergency contact information for YOU
  • Emergency contact information for your PET (vet, pet-sitter, etc.)
  • Emergency contact for someone OUTSIDE the disaster area
  • Food/water for 7 days
  • Pet first aid kit
  • 2 extra collars and leashes
  • Collapsible food/water bowl
  • Crate appropriate to the size of your pet
  • Blankets and toys to put in the crate for padding and to reduce stress
  • Cat litter and pan if you have cats

 

Find out what's happening in Bethwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Resources for pets are also available on Facebook, where a page has been created to provide resources for emergency shelter for pets.


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