Like many Americans, I have a dog (a goofy golden retriever) and a cat (although mine acts more like a dog). I hope I never have to worry about an emergency affecting them – or the rest of my family. But I know it can happen, and as a vet I know how important it is to have a pet preparedness plan as part of my family’s preparedness plan. In disasters people often refuse to leave pets even when it compromises their own safety, so it’s best to be prepared on how to keep everyone healthy and safe.
Last week, I had the honor of attending a presentation given by emergency management leaders in Joplin, Missouri. One of the most poignant recommendations they made was based on what they learned from the massive tornado there a year ago: have pets microchipped.
In the massive tornado there last year, some people were separated from their pets – remember, the tornado happened while many people were out enjoying their weekend or running errands. And when homes and other buildings are destroyed, pets may roam. Microchipping a pet is pretty inexpensive and helps reunite you and your pets after an event. But microchipping is only a small piece of a pet preparedness plan.
Although some other aspects of a plan are obvious (like putting together a grab-n-go kit for your pet with a water dish, food, vaccination records and a leash), sometimes it’s hard to think of what else should be part of your pet preparedness kit and what else you need to plan for. Luckily, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has a great emergency supplies and traveling kits checklist to help you out. The American Veterinary Medical Association has put together a comprehensive planning guide to help you plan for other aspects of a disaster, like what you can do in case you aren’t home, what veterinary records you need to have handy, and important emergency contacts. And remember, many emergency shelters can’t accommodate pets, so have a plan ready. Contact your local emergency management office, animal shelter, or animal control office to learn about the options available in your area. For more information on finding shelter for your pets during an emergency, see FEMA’s planning tips for sheltering your pet.
As the Chief Veterinary Officer of the National Disaster Medical System, I focus on planning for the disaster which overwhelms a state’s ability to provide the needed veterinary medical response. We have a National Veterinary Response Team made up of 200 caring veterinary medical professionals ready to deploy to a disaster site to help out any way they can. From our experience, we know that the more prepared people are as individuals and families – including our pets – before a disaster strikes the faster the family and community can bounce back afterwards.
So taking a few minutes this week during National Pet Safety Week to think about how to protect your pet and the rest of your family from an emergency is well worth the time.
