Emergency Preparedness For Your Pets

Note:  Hurricane Irene has me thinking about disaster preparedness so I’m reposting this.  It a good reminder that we should all be prepared for an emergency, so I challenge you to start your emergency preparedness kit this weekend for your whole family—pets included!  Our thoughts are with those on the East Coast and we’re hoping for the best.

The anniversaries of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina remind me how important it is that we plan to care for our whole family for an extended period of time in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.  Turns out September is National Preparedness Month, so this is a great time to start getting prepared.  This post has been a long time coming and was researched consulting the AVMA, FEMA, ASPCA, HSUS, CDC, Petfinder, & more.  I hope you find it useful!  (I ask that if you re-post it, that you give credit to & link to PetProject.)

It’s not that I’m all gloom and doom. It’s just that in the event of a disaster, I don’t want to be forced to rely on other agencies, if I can help it, and I know my pets will be safest under our care, so I’m working to be as prepared as possible. I live in earthquake country and we have a kit to take care of everyone in our family—human, feline, and canine. Getting prepared has been an ongoing process so I can spread out the cost and spread out the time & energy spent on the project.

Make sure your whole family is taken care of and do not leave your pets to fend for themselves. Keep them with you. If you evacuate and think you’ll only be away from your home a short time, take your animals with you! You don’t know when or if you’ll be able to return to your home.

I’ve divided the list into categories and put a ♥ by the items to start with first. Don’t get overwhelmed. Begin with the ♥ items and once you have those, set a goal—maybe 1-2 items every other week? And begin by gathering at least 3 days worth of supplies and work up to 1-2 weeks. Defray the costs by checking thrift stores and looking for sales—buy an extra bag of cat litter when it’s on sale, etc. Some of the items listed will double for a human preparedness kit.

Tasks:

  1. ♥Microchip every animal & keep the registered contact information up-to-date
  2. ♥Make sure your pets have collars and up-to-date ID tags, consider adding an out-of-state contact phone number too (it’s recommended families have an out-of-state contact (relative or friend) because when phone lines are flooded with calls, it’s sometimes easier to reach someone out of the area.)
  3. ♥Talk to your vet about obtaining medication for your emergency kit
  4. ♥Construct a First Aid Kit (I’ve compiled a comprehensive list for a well stocked kit)
  5. Place “Pets Inside” stickers at each entrance to your home listing what types of animals you have & how many—here’s where you can get a free decal
  6. Make up “Lost” posters for your pets (in case they get lost) with space for up-to-date contact information if you’ve evacuated, here’s a form that will create a poster for you
  7. Develop a plan that doesn’t rely solely on public emergency shelters (most won’t allow animals)–we plan to keep our pets with us, so we have a tent, etc.
  8. Petfinder has a number of useful links for finding pet friendly motels/hotels—identify nearby options & options outside your local area
  9. Coordinate with a nearby friend or trustworthy neighbor to take care of your pets in case something happens while you’re away from your home (make sure your friend or neighbor is familiar with your pets & that your pets are comfortable with them, give them a key & care information for your pets, be clear about your arrangement—will they just feed & water your pets at your house, will they take custody of your pets, etc.)
  10. Find out if your vet will board animals in the event of an emergency
  11. Contact your local animal control & humane society about their disaster plan (what services they plan to provide, where they intend to be located)
  12. Plan to keep your pets separate from each other—animals under extreme stress or in pain can be unpredictable and your dog could attack your cat, etc.
  13. If you live in a disaster prone area:
    1. consider putting a leash at every exit to your home, if you have a dog
    2. consider using a feeder on a timer
    3. consider using a waterer with a reservoir
    4. if you are likely to evacuate, find a vet in that area ahead of time
    5. coping with evacuation gridlock
    6. make sure you’ve planned for space in your vehicle for your pets
  14. Familiarize yourself with what to do in an emergency
    1. the AVMA has a superb manual
    2. the Humane Society has good tips, including dealing with everyday emergencies
  15. Special tips for preparing for tornados

 

Documents:

  1. ♥up-to-date vaccination records (could help in your obtaining shelter)
  2. ♥pet license records
  3. ♥recent photos of all your pets, include distinguishing marks (for lost posters, online notices)
  4. ♥photos of you with your pets (documenting they are your pets)
  5. detailed descriptions of your pets

 

Items:

  1. ♥1-2 weeks worth of food (wet & dry–small cans of wet since you can’t refrigerate them)
  2. ♥1-2 weeks of water for just your pets
  3. ♥2 bowls
  4. ♥manual can opener
  5. ♥spoon (for food)
  6. ♥litter box
  7. ♥1-2 weeks supply of cat litter
  8. ♥litter scoop
  9. ♥poop bags
  10. ♥ID tags with space to put up-to-date information (in case you’ve evacuated)
  11. ♥sturdy, extra leash (for each animal)
  12. ♥sturdy, extra collar (for each animal)
  13. ♥sturdy, extra harness (for each animal that they can’t slip out of)
  14. ♥carriers/crates (for each animal in appropriate sizes)
  15. bedding
  16. large garbage bags
  17. tie out/stake(do not leave dog unattended, ever)
  18. long line leash
  19. muzzle (cat & dog, helpful in case of injury, may help you obtain shelter for you & your pets)
  20. toys
  21. paper towels
  22. dish soap
  23. dish brush
  24. disinfectant for cleaning crate, etc.
  25. pet shampoo
  26. grooming supplies
  27. bath towels
  28. blanket (to capture a skittish pet, cover a stressed pet, immobilize a pet for treatment)
  29. treats
  30. chew treats
  31. hand truck, cart, or wagon (this could be especially important if you have a number of animals or a large dog and need to move them to another location while crated and don’t have use of a car)

DIY: Construct A First Aid Kit

Here’s a comprehensive list of things to have in your animal First Aid Kit.  Start with the items marked with a ♥.  (Here’s a printable list for the animal First Aid Kit)

  1. ♥current pet 1st Aid manual (we like The First Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats, by Amy D. Shojai)
  2. ♥contact information for:
    1. your veterinarian
    2. emergency veterinarian
    3. area shelters
    4. ASPCA Animal Poison Control 1 (888) 426-4435
  3. ♥up-to-date weight for your pets
  4. ♥up-to-date information on your pets’ medications
  5. ♥1-2 week supply of all medications pets need
  6. ♥appropriate calming supplement
  7. ♥muzzle or strip of fabric/length of rope for DIY muzzle
  8. ♥non-stick gauze pads
  9. ♥adhesive tape
  10. ♥liquid bandage
  11. ♥self-adhering flexible bandage (Vetrap, Pet Wrap, Kling, Coban)
  12. ♥blunt tipped scissors (for trimming away fur, we like Metzenbaum scissors because they’re curved)
  13. ♥blunt tipped tweezers or hemostats (removing foreign objects)
  14. ♥rectal thermometer
  15. ♥lubricant (K-Y Jelly, Vaseline, etc. for thermometer)
  16. ♥nail clippers
  17. ♥large, clean towel
  18. ♥clean wash cloth
  19. ♥anti-septic solution (Chlorohexidine (.5%), Betadine, not rubbing alcohol)
  20. ♥sterile saline eyewash (flush wounds)
  21. ♥anti-biotic ointment
  22. ♥honey or Karo syrup (for treating shock)
  23. ♥over-the-counter medications approved by your veterinarian with notes on dosages (buffered aspirin (dogs only), Benadryl, Kaolin-Pectin, etc.)
  24. Saran Wrap (seal wounds)
  25. heavy-duty tape (duct, packing, masking, etc.)
  26. splinting material of appropriate sizes (bubble wrap, foam wrap, chopsticks, ruler, thick magazine, etc.)
  27. safety razors (for removing fur)
  28. electric trimmer (for removing fur)
  29. needle nose pliers (removing foreign objects)
  30. large, needless syringe or eye dropper (liquid medications)
  31. bulb syringe
  32. leather gloves
  33. disposable gloves
  34. cotton balls
  35. cotton swabs
  36. cold packs
  37. hot packs
  38. activated charcoal
  39. hydrogen peroxide (3%)
  40. syrup of Ipecac
  41. styptic powder (Kwik-Stop)
  42. Velveeta or Pill-Pockets for hiding pills

DIY: Custom Pet Tee

Cute!  Here’s a Pet Tee project for that little someone in your life. (via CRAFT) Ellen over at The Long Thread has a great tutorial on how to make these custom pet tees with pics of your own pets.  She tells you how to photoshop your images and what to do next.  Pretty easy!

You’ll need:

  • digital images
  • computer
  • ink jet printer
  • photoshop or image software
  • iron-on image transfer paper (don’t use the opaque version or the color of the shirt won’t show through the image)
  • iron
  • cotton shirt

If you need help with how to use iron-on transfer paper, check out this video tutorial and this tutorial with some more tips.

Petco Settles Another Lawsuit

Petco settled another lawsuit—this one for overcharging and animal welfare issues.  Petco also settled a similar lawsuit in 2004.

Capt. Cindy Machado of the Marin Humane Society said sick animals, that included guinea pigs, mice, rats, birds and reptiles, and unclean habitats were found in the Novato and San Rafael Petco stores. Some animals died after they were purchased, Machado said. “We are pleased there will be additional safeguards in Petco stores throughout the state,” Machado said.

Petco does not sell dogs and cats but does provide grooming services for dogs, Machado said. An employee of the Novato store was seen shaking a dog in the air by the front legs during a grooming session, Machado said. (via The Daily Journal)

How To Report Pet Food Complaint to FDA

If you suspect your pet has gotten sick from it’s food or you think there’s something wrong with the food, be sure to file a report with the FDA. The FDA has instructions on the information to include and where to file the report. It’s okay if you don’t have all the info. listed, just include as much as you can.

If you transfer your pet food to bins or other containers, it’s important that you keep the packaging until all the food is eaten so you can provide information on the variety, point of manufacture, lot numbers, best-by dates, etc.  I haven’t been good about this at all.

When you file a report, you’ll deal with your state’s Complaint Coordinator.  Check the FDA list for each State’s contact information.

I think it’s also a good idea:

  • to file a report with the manufacturer and let them know you’ve filed one with the FDA
  • to get your veterinarian to file a report
  • to be diligent about reporting concerns given how long it can take the FDA to respond