Pet Safety in Natural Disasters
The Weather Channel is full of stories of Tornadoes causing historic damage, and as I update this, Hurricane Irene is coming up the coast. There have been earthquakes, flooding and other natural disasters that are hard to imagine.
For rescue workers, people are on the top of the list to be rescued, and this is important. But people who are rescued or who survive but have terribly damaged homes will tell you how important their pets are to them…they are like members of the family.
We don’t live in an area that has many hurricanes [but as I update this on 8/26/11, that is changing], dangerous flooding or tornadoes, but we have been looking around online for information about protecting your pet as well as sites that help pets after a disaster has happened.
Here are some thoughts for you to consider, as well as links that we hope you will find helpful:
- Do you have an emergency plan? Your plan will depend upon what type of natural disaster is most likely to happen where you live, be it hurricane, tornado, brush or forest fire, flooding, earthquake…you know best what can happen in your area.
- Here is a FEMA link with information for pet owners in the event of a natural disaster. There is a lot of information there, they emphasize that you DO NOT leave your pets behind when you evacuate your home. Evacuate, yes, don’t stay behind because of a pet…this is where advance planning comes in. Have a plan!
- Here is a link with many tips and many links to help you, Pets and Natural Disasters.
- To learn more about finding lost pets, and maybe more about why you should have a plan, visit Homeless Pets Lifeline
- Find an Emergency Dog Survival Kit
here.
- Find a Cat Evacuation Kit
or Emergency Cat Survival Kit
here. - I ask you again, do you have a plan? Do you know what you’ll do if there is a flood, fire, earthquake, tornado, hurricane…you fill in the blank, and PLEASE, even though you may feel helpless in a natural disaster, pets are even more helpless and dependent upon you in natural disasters




