Monday, January 18, 2016

Disaster Preparedness for Pets

I have pampered house dogs.  They are like my furry kids.  Were something horrible to happen, I would most certainly take them with me on any evacuation order.  That's an absolute.  If they weren't welcome, I wouldn't go either. With that commitment comes the requirement to be prepared to bug them out.  And that takes some thought about what they need and why.  Some things they will need for their own safety and comfort and some things for the safety and comfort of other people you may be around.

I admit, I hadn't given it a lot of thought until this was posted in one of my Facebook groups.  It bears sharing and gives you some things to think about.  One of my first questions was what goes in a doggie first aid kit...  A group member supplied a link to some pre-made ones you can purchase but as I looked through them I realized the contents are the same as you would include in your human first aid kit.  This is is totally doable as a DIY  project.  The main benefit in the dog having his own would be that he can help carry the supplies and then they are right where you need them should you have to put the supplies to use.

Another article I was pointed to that gives some valuable advice is Saving Pets During Disasters.  There were several things I hadn't thought of before on their list of preparations and it pointed out some glaring holes in my plan that I now know I need to address.  Basic training being the #1 thing since my guys are not always the best little gentlemen.  We need to work on leash walking,  and the commands to stay, come and drop it.  We need to work on those things a lot!