How to Protect Your Dog During an Emergency

On this Fifth Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I still remember the images of all those Katrina Dogs, the silent victims of that terrible natural disaster that were abandoned by their owners and left to fend for themselves.  In honor of those Katrina Dogs, I wanted to take a moment to share some tips on how to protect our dogs during an emergency. 

EMERGENCY PLAN
According to the American Red Corss, the first thing to do is come up with an emergency plan that includes our canine friends.  Every emergency is different and its helpful to prepare an evacuation plan in the event you and your dog have to leave your home. 

FIND A PET FRIENDLY PLACE
In the case of an emergency evacuation, you will need to have a place to go to that will let you take your dog.  Leaving your dog home alone is not a good idea.

I recommend coordinating your emergency evacuation plan with friends and family, whether they are in the same city or outside your area.  I recommend family and friends because they will most likely offer you and your dog unconidtional support and a place to sleep.  Further, they may allow you to store emergency supplies, including dog food, at their place. 

Hotels/motels have different pet policies so you may want to call before a disaster strikes to know what your options are. 

American Red Cross shelters will only allow service dogs in their shelters. 

You could also try your local veterinarians, boarding facilities, dog trainers, and dog walker/sitter to see if they can help you and your dog during an emergency.  You may also try your local animal shelter.

The point is to have a list of places that you and your dog could seek refuge until the emergency subsides. 

CREATE A LIST EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS  
After you have identified some pet friendly places, you should create a list of emergency contact numbers that you can have easy access to.  You can store numbers on your cell phone, on your email account, on your work or home computer.     

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES
As mentioned above, you may be able to store emergency pet supplies at a friend or relatives place.  You may also have space to store such in your car or work.  In preparing an emergency supply kit, you should include, food, water, medications, any medical records, photos, leashes, plastic bags, leash, and bed/transport carrier. 

More information is available on the Red Cross web site (http://www.redcross.org/)

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