Preparing for Emergencies with Pets in Washington
It’s National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day here in the USA. Are you prepared for natural disasters like a tsunami hitting the Washington coast, Mount Rainier erupting, a house fire or disastrous earthquake? Or even man-made disasters like a civil or world war. How would you help your dog or cat through? Do you have a plan for if the shit hits the fan?
These things can be really tough to think about, I know. But it’s so important to have a plan in place so that when something big happens you’re already prepared and know exactly what to do.
Allow me to help you get a plan in place and feel secure in knowing you’re ready for anything to come.
What to Do Before an Emergency or Disaster in Washington
Preparation is always key. The better prepared you can be in case of an emergency, the smoother and less stressful the situation can be. Your pets will thank you for it.
Create a plan
Do you have an evacuation plan in place for if you have a fire in your home? What about if Mount Rainier erupts or we have a tsunami?
Now is the time to familiarize yourself with evacuation routes for these types of situations so you know where to go if disaster strikes. It also makes planning for other things like where to stay and where to get care for you pets much easier.
Do practice drills
It’s not just for kids in school. Even as an adult, it can be beneficial to do practice drills for in case of an emergency, especially if you have pets and/or kids. They should be included as well so they can become comfortable with the process such as getting into their carriers quickly or getting leashed up calmly.
Know where you can go
Have a list of hotels, vets, and shelters in your area and along your evacuation route so you know who to reach out to and where you can go in an emergency.
Most Red Cross shelters cannot accept pets because of health and safety concerns, so be sure you know where you can safely go.
Sometimes hotels will waive no-pet policies during an emergency, so call to see what the rules are.
Keep your pets up to date and have current records accessible
Make sure you’re pets are always up to date on vaccines, microchipped and have current ID tags. Shelters, veterinarians and boarding facilities may ask for these things so you’ll want to be sure you have this information ready.
Keep a current copy of records in your 2 week pack. Also be sure to label carriers with ID and contact info, too.
Always have a current, identifiable photo of your pets
If you unfortunately get separated from your pets, you’ll want to have a current, quality photo of them. It doesn’t have to be professional, but you’ll want it to be sharp, well lit, and identifiable.
Consider a face shot, full body image, and capture any distinguishing features. This may seem obvious, but I see so many lost pet posts on Facebook and the photos aren’t really helpful at all.
Get to know your neighbors
In case you aren’t home when disaster strikes, it can be beneficial to have at least one trusted neighbor who knows your pets and where to find them and their emergency supplies, and has a key to your home to retrieve them. Consider being each others emergency petcare pals.
Include your pets in your 2 week emergency pack
When putting together your 2-week emergency kit, be sure to include all your pet’s necessities, too.
Medications, medical records and information on feeding/medication schedules and behavior, all in a waterproof container
Sturdy leashes and harnesses, muzzles, and carriers
Photos
Food, water, bowls and a manual can opener
Cat litter and litter box
Grooming items and poo bags
Pet beds and toys if you can easily take them
What to do During a Disaster in Washington
It’s cliche, but, remain as calm as possible. Pets and kids will pick up on your stress and will be looking to you during an emergency.
Keep pets in the house, perhaps confined to a safe room/area with leashes and carriers nearby. That way you know where they are and have easy access to getting them out the door as quickly as possible.
Don’t wait till the last minute to take action. Waiting can make things more stressful and hectic. Better to act calmly and early, rather than panic at the last minute.
If you’re planning to use a pet shelter, call ahead and leave early. They’re first-come first-serve basis.
If you evacuate, take your pets. If it’s not safe for you, it’s not safe for them, so don’t leave them behind. Even if you think you’ll be able to come home in a few hours, take them anyway just in case.
If you don’t evacuate, keep them nearby, leashed and with ID tags on. Keeping them leashed will reduce any chance of them escaping and can keep them under control during an emergency.
What to Do After a Disaster
You’ve made it to the other side of an emergency or disaster! So what’s the best way to help your pets as you move forward and leave it behind?
If you’re not back home or your home is damaged, don’t let your pets roam around off-leash. Pets can get lost when familiar sights and smells are gone, especially after a stressful situation. And if your home is damaged, they may escape.
Re-establish routines as quickly as normal. Help them adjust by getting things as close to back to normal as you can to help relax and reassure them that everything is okay.
Give them grace. They just went through the same thing you did, except they had no idea what was happening. Behavioral or health problems may arise, so be ready to attend to them with compassion.
