are you prepared?

 

Are you prepared for a natural disaster? Could you evacuate immediately if a toxic chemical was spilling out of a tanker truck on the highway by your town? Or how about an ice storm takes out your power and you need to relocate to the school gymnasium for a few days.... would you leave your cat and dog behind?

These are questions you should all ask yourselves because the possibility does exist.

Hurricane Sandy is battering the beaches that I romped on this summer in the Carolinas. From Vermont we watch with a knowing eye. Hurricanes go where ever they choose. Who would have ever thought Irene would have visited us with such a violent hand. Vermont is the only New England State that does not border the Atlantic Ocean, yet we had such a close and personal relationship with her.

In our neck of the woods we appreciate the unpredictability of mother nature. We all learned a lot about ourselves and the heart of this great state.... but are we anymore prepared?

Disaster preparedness is an essential key to safeguarding you and your family (which of course includes us, your beloved pets).

Some of you will throw "Hurricane Parties", light the candles, drink a lot of beer (with pictures of me on it), laugh and joke...... but what if you need to evacuate?

What should you bring? What if you don't have but a few minutes to prepare? Would you be able to find your cat's carrier, my leash, Petunia's medicine? Would you leave us behind, take us to a shelter, leave us in your car?

Would you know where my rabies certificate was, would you remember my food? Would I be able to go into the shelter with you? Ugggg I feel sick.......

It is important to note, NOT all Red Cross evacuation shelters except pets.

So here's the nitty gritty of your basic plan. In each pet's travel bag:

• Have our medical records with rabies certificate along with your veterinarian's telephone number in a waterproof container. Also two weeks supply of pet medication (remember to rotate it out every so often, expired meds. are useless meds.)
• Have a list of pet friendly hotel/motels in your area. Dogfriendly.com Also ask friends and family outside your immediate area if your pets would be welcome.
• Recent photos of you and your pets so that if you get separated you can I.D them and help prove they are yours. (Microchip people!!! Permanent identification is the only surefire way)
• 3-7 days worth of canned or dry pet food. (make sure to refresh it every few months)
• feeding dish, collapsible water bowl, and 7 days worth of bottled water.
• Pillowcase for a cat (helps to calm them in very stressful situations), extra collar and leash for your dog.
• toys, treats, things to help keep them entertained.
• Litter and paper towels, disposable litter pans (aluminum roasting pans work great)
• Dish soap and disinfectant
• Family first aid kit.

Store all of this close to the door you commonly exit from in your house. Remember, if it isn't safe for you to stay home, it isn't safe for your pets. What may appear to be a short leave can quickly become weeks if roads are blocked, unsafe conditions still exist. Be prepared, it could save your life and ours

So why you may ask the beer bottles (apart from alcohol being very poisonous to us pets)? My mom loves to collect bottles with animals on them...... strange I know but you humans are pretty strange creatures!
Tata for now.