Thursday, June 12, 2014

National Pet Preparedness Month

June is National Pet Preparedness Month.  I originally wrote and published this post in November, 2013.

I felt it was appropriate to repost it.

Disaster and Emergency Planning for Dogs


On Sunday, severe and "explosive" storms went through much of the Midwest.  Last I heard, the National Weather Service had confirmed 25 tornadoes touched down in Indiana alone.  It was scary stuff.

We were scheduled to attend a family gathering that day, minus the dogs.  When I called my mom that morning to confirm it was still on, she insisted everyone come.

Prior to leaving our house, we set up crates in the basement, and left the dogs there.  I also made arrangements with our awesome neighbors, so that they could use our basement with their dogs while we were gone if the need arose, as their house does not have a basement.

Getting the dogs down the stairs was a chore, as the basement stairs are open, and all three were fearful of falling through.  Fortunately, our immediate area had only thunderstorms and high winds (in November?!?!), and we were unscathed.  Once the "all-clear" was issued, we brought the dogs up from the basement, which was even more difficult than getting them down there. 


After the storms rolled through.

Ignore my scary basement.  It's an old house.


Bruce proved to be the most difficult, with it taking us an hour and a half to convince him to come up the stairs.  Bribes included cheese, meat, and squeaky toys.

About one year ago, a home exploded on the south side of Indianapolis, less than five miles from our current house.  I remember hearing the boom, and my house actually shook.

A few homes were completely destroyed, and several damaged beyond repair, as this occurred in a subdivision.  Hundreds of people and their pets were evacuated.

This event initially prompted me to come up with an emergency plan for my dogs, and this past weekend's storms only reinforced it.

The ASPCA and Redrover.org have some nice lists, and some of my ideas are the same as theirs.

Identification
At the very least, I believe all animals should have a well fitting collar or harness with clear ID tags that include a cell-phone number.  My dogs are all microchipped, but I know some feel microchipping is "dangerous" and unnecessary.  If the unthinkable occurs, and you are separated from your pets, these are the most successful ways that they are returned to their owners.

A Way to Let Rescuers Know You Have Pets
Window stickers are widely available that allow people to indicate how many of and what species of animals are present in the home.

Containment in the Event of Evacuation
After the home explosion last year, I thought long and hard on what would happen if we were to be evacuated from our homes.  Short (6 feet or less), non-retractable leashes must be immediately available for all dogs.  Neeko and Faolan, while stressed, would probably be ok with all the chaos.  Bruce would not be.  My dogs are all to large to put into a crate and carry.  Because of Bruce's issues, I purchased a basket muzzle for him, and desensitized him to it.  It is my job to protect my dogs, and if protecting them means preventing them from harming a person or another dog, that is what I will do.

If one has small dogs or cats, plastic sided or soft, portable kennels that are easily carried are widely found.

If a Tornado is Eminent
Go to your basement, or most interior, windowless room.  We set up ahead of time, and now know that this is probably not something we could do in seconds, given how much difficulty each dog gave us.  Involve your neighbors.  Have a plan, and contact your friends and family to ensure everyone and all pets are accounted for and safe.

A Place to Stay if Your Home is Uninhabitable
This could be with family or friends.  But keep in mind that friends and family who say you are welcome do not always necessarily mean your large or multiple pets are welcome as well.  So clarify.  Many hotels are pet friendly, but require dogs be crated, which is another good reason to invest in crates.  It is good to call around and see if there are limits on the number of pets, or size limits.

In the event one cannot afford a hotel, it is important to have worked out details with friends and family if you and/or your pets can stay with them.  I have several people who are willing to temporarily take on Neeko or Faolan in the event of an emergency, but not so much Bruce, which is understandable.  Bruce and myself could temporarily stay with my parents, and crates and gates would be used to keep him from harming their two much smaller dogs because of his stress and anxiety.

If Your Home is Safe, but You have No Power, No Water, No way to Get Out.
I'm not going to lie.  Watching American Blackout on Nat Geo scared the crap out of me. It also made me realize we are unprepared.  While I am not advocating or encouraging anyone to be an extreme/doomsday prepper, having a little backup of some basic supplies is a good idea.

I feed raw, and typically have at least three weeks worth of food on hand.  A power outage in the winter time wouldn't affect this, but in the summer, the meat would start to go bad after a few days.  While dogs can eat "off" meat, I would not feel comfortable feeding them something super funky.  For this reason, I have purchased a couple of large bags of high quality kibble.  When the expiration date approaches, I will donate these, and buy more.

Water is vital.  Having ample water for each living thing is crucial.  Keep a few cases, or gallons of water as backup.  I have actually purchased LifeStraws for the humans.

Does anyone have any other suggestions or ideas/hints for me or others on being prepared for our pets in the event of an emergency or disaster? 

26 comments:

  1. Very good suggestions and good things to plan for and ponder.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gosh we realise how lucky we are over here. Nothing ever happens and we therefore never give being prepared a second though. Lucky us. Have a fabulous Friday.
    Best wishes Molly

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm glad you and your family are ok. That is crazy that a house exploded like that not far from you!
    Thanks for the great tips! Luckily here in Canada, we don't get (many) tornadoes and no hurricanes. I have never experienced any of that, but I know you shared great tips, and I thank you for that!
    ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!

    ReplyDelete
  4. We are relieved that we do not have to deal with what you guys have. On the other hand, we have floods, strong rains and scary lightnings. Good thing our homes have second and third floors. Those stickers are a brilliant idea.

    ReplyDelete
  5. A social pack of dogs mostly knows through experience how to approach a new dog, or how far to let a new dog play with the pack before its intentions are read as being too dominant.
    dog daycare

    ReplyDelete
  6. We don't always get it right, but the more days we spend in the parks, the more focussed we are on all dogs having a good time, the greater the chance that our own dogs are going to listen to us as we gently correct their behaviour with voice or a subtle hand movement. Naples FL dog boarding service

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good website! I truly love how it is easy on my eyes it is. I am wondering how I might be notified whenever a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your RSS which may do the trick? Have a great day! Pet friendly Hotels in Spain

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is a great post. I like this topic.This site has lots of advantage.I found many interesting things from this site. It helps me in many ways.Thanks for posting this again. TypesOfPet

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is necessary as they can only complicate the status of the diabetic dog's body. diabetic dog food brands

    ReplyDelete
  10. You completed a few fine points there. I did a search on the subject and found nearly all persons will go along with with your blog. Can shock collars cause heart problems in dogs

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for taking the time to discuss that, I feel strongly about this and so really like getting to know more on this kind of field. Do you mind updating your blog post with additional insight? It should be really useful for all of us. best pet jogging stroller

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for posting this info. I just want to let you know that I just check out your site and I find it very interesting and informative. I can't wait to read lots of your posts. luxury pet beds

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for posting this info. I just want to let you know that I just check out your site and I find it very interesting and informative. I can't wait to read lots of your posts. a crate escape

    ReplyDelete
  14. Great article with excellent idea!Thank you for such a valuable article. I really appreciate for this great information.. What is the best harness for a german shepherd?

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for free. I love seeing blog that understand the value of providing a quality resource for free. How to Get the Smell of Cat Pee Out of Carpet

    ReplyDelete
  16. I can set up my new idea from this post. It gives in depth information. Thanks for this valuable information for all,.. How to Get Rid Of Cat Urine Odor In House

    ReplyDelete
  17. Excellent post. I was reviewing this blog continuously, and I am impressed! Extremely helpful information especially this page. Thank you and good luck. Read More

    ReplyDelete
  18. You have a good point here!I totally agree with what you have said!!Thanks for sharing your views...hope more people will read this article!!! The Best Age to Neuter a Large Breed Dog

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is a smart blog. I mean it. You have so much knowledge about this issue, and so much passion. You also know how to make people rally behind it, obviously from the responses. Check it out

    ReplyDelete
  20. I can set up my new idea from this post. It gives in depth information. Thanks for this valuable information for all,.. How Long Do Dogs Stay On Their Period

    ReplyDelete
  21. I think that thanks for the valuabe information and insights you have so provided here. What is the Best Flea and Tick Prevention for Dogs

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow i can say that this is another great article as expected of this blog.Bookmarked this site.. Natural Appetite Stimulant for Dogs

    ReplyDelete
  23. These items are considered an effective method for brand building and brand promotion and for that reason, these are given to the clients, customers, employees, etc. at special occasions. Technology

    ReplyDelete
  24. Cool stuff you have got and you keep update all of us. check it out

    ReplyDelete
  25. You made such an interesting piece to read, giving every subject enlightenment for us to gain knowledge. Thanks for sharing the such information with us to read this... check it out

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for the howls!!