Summer Is Disaster Preparedness Season: REVIEW YOUR PLANS AND DON’T FORGET YOUR PETS
SAN DIEGO, CA, June 18, 2008 – Having persevered through two firestorms in the last few years, San Diegans are all too familiar with how quickly evacuation decisions must be made. Unfortunately, due to adverse weather and environment conditions, the odds are high that a fire (or other disasters) will happen again. During this disaster preparedness month, as you review your evacuation plans, don’t forget your pets’ needs too. Even though your pet may escape the disaster, if its unique needs are not met, the chances for survival are severely reduced.
HSUS recommends that all pet owners assemble an emergency supply kit custom tailored for each of your pets, as you would for your other family members. Kits should include:
·A three-day supply of food and water in easy-to-carry containers. (A month’s supply is even better!) Don’t forget bowls or other feeding apparatus as well as dog waste bags and cat litter.
·Up-to-date photos, vaccination records and descriptions of your pets.
·Pet tags: Your pet’s tag should have an additional phone number of someone out of the area in the event it becomes separated from you or lost. Microchipping is also recommended.
·Extra supplies of required pet meds – ensure these meds are not out-of-date. Also have a pet first-aid kit for your pets.
·Leashes, harnesses and carriers.
·A list of local emergency shelters with pet friendly policies in the area. This should include a list of local animal shelters and your veterinarian.
·Create a list of people who can take your pet in or services that can board your pet in an emergency.
Designated Care Givers and Pet Sitters
A professional pet sitter or boarder can provide a temporary home for your pet in the event you become separated or are unable to otherwise reach them in the event of an unexpected disaster. If, as a result of the disaster, you are unable to care for your pets, a designated care giver can even help you find a permanent, loving home for them. Remember, your care giver or pet sitter is the person to whom you are entrusting the care of your pet in the event something should happen to; in effect, they become foster parent to your child. But a word of caution to those who have someone visit their homes during emergencies, the Pet Services & Products Association of San Diego reported that, “Many of the folks evacuated (during Firestorm 2007) were professional pet sitters...who were caring not only for their own homes but five to ten other households.” Because many of these individuals did not necessarily live in the neighborhoods where they were caring for pets, police were unable to verify the authenticity of their claims and could not allow them to enter evacuated districts to check on the animals in their charge. One way to avoid this is to make sure anyone caring for your pets has the same emergency information about your pets and home, and provide them with permission to enter your property. Another is to bring your pet to someone who can board them in an emergency.
For local information on pet sitting in San Diego County, contact Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Services by Kat on the web at www.petsitdogwalkbykat.com. For further information on finding a professional pet sitter, please visit Pet Sitters International (PSI) at www.petsit.com.
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