Don’t Forget Your Pets When Planning for Emergencies

We all know it’s important to have an emergency plan for our families, but did you remember to include your pets? After all, they’re family, too.

If a disaster strikes or you need to evacuate your home, being prepared to care for your pets for at least 72 hours is important. Here are things to keep in mind:

What to Pack for Your Pets

• Food and water: Depending on the size of your dog, they can need about four litres of water per day, and cats need about one.
• Pet first aid kit: Include any medications (with dosage info), vaccination records and your veterinarian’s contact details.
• Recent photo: This can help identify your pet if you are separated.
• Comfort item: A blanket, toy or something familiar can help reduce stress.

Other Essentials

• Collar with ID tag
• Leash or harness
• Crate or carrier
• Food bowls and can opener
• Litter box or waste bags
• Paper towels or newspaper

Evacuation Tips

If you need to leave your home during an evacuation, it’s recommended you keep your animals with you if possible. However, most emergency shelters won’t accept non-service animals, so it’s smart to plan ahead. Your plan should include pet-friendly hotels and boarding kennels, or out-of-town friends and family who can care for your pet.

If you must leave your pet behind:

• Leave them indoors, but not in a crate.
• Provide plenty of food and water. Leave the toilet seat up to ensure they can access water.
• Post signs on your windows or doors to alert emergency responders that pets are inside.

“Emergencies are stressful enough without having to scramble to ensure your pets are safe and taken care of. Taking the time to include them in your family’s emergency plan helps alleviate additional worry if an emergency strikes,” says Ray Lux, Bruce County’s emergency management coordinator.

For more emergency preparedness information, visit www.brucecounty.on.ca/getprepared.