When a disaster strikes, it is usually without warning. Sunday, August 23rd marks the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The devastating hurricane left over 2,000 humans dead and an estimated 600,000 pets deceased or homeless!
Nearly 44% of the people who decided to ride out the storm did so because they couldn’t take their pets or didn’t want to leave them behind. Check out the list of essentials you’ll need and the great infographics from the ASPCA below!
Plan today. Don’t put it off because you never know when any disaster may strike – be it a natural disaster like tornadoes, hurricanes, fires or floods, or a man-made disaster, like terrorism, gas or energy disruption, water disruptions, a home fire, etc.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- First Aid for Cats
Guide Book
- Food – Plan on 7 days worth of food (dry and wet) for both people and each pet
- Disposable Bowls – Clean Healthy Bowls makes great disposable, biodegradeable pet bowls
- Cleaning supplies – Pack garbage bags, liquid dish soap, disinfectant and paper towels
- Bottled water – Pack 3-7 days worth of water
- Collars, Harnesses, Leashes – Be sure your pet has its ID tags on at all times, even if they are indoor pets. Check out LINKS-IT Cat Tag Connector
- Pet Carriers – Make sure you have Pet Carriers
one for each pet.
- Blankets, Towels, Bedding – Bring enough for all pets
- Disposable Litter Tray – Bring along disposable litter trays like Clean Healthy Bowls Litter Trays
- Litter, Travel Scoop and Poop Bags – Bring a bag of litter, a travel scooper
along and poop bags. I recommend Litter Lifter® brand.
- List of Medications – Be sure you bring a list of medications and any medical records that you have. Keep them on a USB drive for easy travel.
Now that you have everything, set it aside so you can take it with you in the event of an emergency. You may even want to store some items in your car.
Also, a few other things you should do:
- Be sure your pets are microchipped in the event its collar comes off.
- Put pet emergency decals in the window of your home. PetFolio has decals you can order.
- Know what the exit routes are ahead of a disaster so you aren’t scrambling when time is of the essence.
- Make a list of shelters and hotels that are pet-friendly.
- Pre-arrange a list of caregivers for your pets in the event that you aren’t able to make it home when a disaster strikes. Provide caregivers with keys and alarm and garage codes in advance.
- Maintain recent photos of your pet(s) in case they are lost or missing.
- Commit to preparing today.
You never know when a disaster will strike, so prepare now. Use the list above to purchase emergency items and don’t delay. Doing so could put you and your pets in danger.
Do you have other suggestions that should be added to the list of emergency items? Please share your tips in the comments!