Six Tips To Keep Pets Safe During Storm Season


While no one is immune from the devastation of a natural disaster, preparing before a storm hits is key to keeping everyone in your family-including your pets-safe. It's even more important now - in an era of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic - that pet parents have a plan to keep their furry family members out of harm's way if forced to take shelter elsewhere.

"What's good for us is good for our pets," said Kris Kiser, President of The TurfMutt Foundation, an environment education and stewardship program, and President and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), an international trade association representing manufacturers and suppliers of power equipment, small engines and battery power, utility and personal transport vehicles, and golf cars. "My dog is a member of the family, so we have a plan for keeping her safe in the event of an emergency, and we encourage all pet parents to do the same."

Here are six ideas from the TurfMutt Foundation to include pets safety when mapping out a disaster preparedness plan.

• Have pets microchipped. In the event of an emergency-natural or otherwise-you want to ensure your pet can get back to you if you're separated. Collars and ID tags, though important, can break or detach. Microchips-computerized and scannable implants about the size of a grain of rice-are more fool-proof since they're inserted under your pet's skin.

• Bring pets inside at the first sign of danger. Disasters can be disorienting for pets, and they could run away or hurt themselves reacting to loud noises and strange changes to their landscape. Also, rain, flying debris and high winds pose a danger.

• If you have to leave, keep pets with you. Leaving your pets behind during a natural disaster is never a good idea because they could escape or become exposed to a number of life-threatening hazards. Keep them on a leash or in a pet carrier so they don't escape, even if you are in a "familiar" neighborhood.

• Determine where you'll go. You need a Plan B if you are advised by government officials to leave your home. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staying with family or friends may not be an option. Not all emergency shelters will accept pets and physical distancing guidelines may reduce capacity in public shelters. Make a plan and develop a list of pet-friendly hotels open for business and outside your immediate area that you might evacuate to.

• Create a pet-friendly resource list. Research a list of veterinarians in the area should your pet need medical care (your regular vet may have some recommendations). Also, figure out which boarding facilities are nearby in case you need to separate from your pet for a time.

• Pack an emergency bag. Pack emergency provisions for pest well in advance of a catastrophe so you can evacuate your home quickly if needed. Choose an easy-to-carry bag, label it and keep it where everyone in the family can find it quickly. The bag should include a pet first aid kit; enough food and bottled water for a week (rotate this every couple of months to keep it from going bad); medications (check periodically to ensure medicines in your emergency bag don't expire); cleanup supplies; food and water dishes; bags (or litter for cats) for collecting waste; an extra collar and leash; photocopies of medical records; towels; recent photos of your pets; and a favorite toy or chewy for comfort. It's also a good idea to have a sturdy carrier or crate for each pet.

By keeping in mind these ideas, pet preparedness plans can be put into action ahead of a storm instead of spending valuable time trying to determine what needs to be done to best protect pets.

Learn More

For facts, tips and fun activities for families from the TurfMutt environment education and stewardship program, visit www.TurfMutt.com.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Pets Information:

Related Articles

Pet Tracking Devices
It was the Saturday morning of August 20, 2004 and my two kids saying that they couldn't find our cat Nala anywhere waked me up. I didn't pay much attention, because it was common for her to find a new hiding spot and sleep there for hours.
West Highland White Terrier - How To Capture the Best Pictures of Your Westies
For most West Highland White Terrier owners, the dog is a beloved member of the family. Like your children, you will want to capture pictures of your Westies from the time they are puppies until they are old-timers.
Syrian vs. Dwarf Hamsters, What Should I Get For My Family?
As pets go hamsters are fairly easy to take care of. Hamsters require no walking, are not particularly dirty or stinky, they are small and don't take up much space and are generally inexpensive.
Things To Think About Before You Buy A Pet Bird
While a bird is an easy pet to care for, they do require just as much commitment and preparation as any other type of pet. Whether you are buying a small parakeet or an large parrot, you should make sure that you are prepared to care for your new feathered friend properly.
Reuniting Lost Pets With Their Owners
Losing a family pet can be a traumatic experience, especially on children who are close to the lost pet. But, one in three pet owners fail to take the steps needed to ensure that this tragedy does not occur in their home.
Mabeke: Gorilla Teacher
Mabeke is a young gorilla who was born in captivity and then returned to the wild with several other gorillas of similar birth. I had an opportunity to meet Mabeke during one of the workshops I teach in Telepathic Communication with Animals.
6 Common Dog Emergencies
Sure, you may be a master of human First Aid. But do you know what to do in a dog health emergency?Approaching Dog Health Emergencies: Two StepsIn any dog health emergency, stay calm and think.
Chinese Shar Pei Character
If you have never seen a Shar Pei before, the first impression might just as well be that of a kind, though independent, even arrogant clodhopper. Indeed, these dogs are often arrogant with strangers.
Dog Travel - Taking a Vacation with Your Dog
Like most dog owners, you probably take your dog with you on weekend excursions and trips to the country. When it comes time to take a longer vacation, however, we always face the dilemma of what to do with Fido.
What Are The 6 Keys To Building A Life Long Partnership With Your Horse?
Most people who have horses would like to develop a qualityrelationship with their horse, but only achieve mediocrity,often accepting this as a good result. Why, because theyput there efforts into becoming experts at riding orshowmanship when they really need to be focusing on becominghorseman.
How To Keep Your Cat Happy and Healthy - Playtime for Kitty
While dogs tend to get lots of exercise, cats are often left to their own devices, having to find their own ways of exercising if they are kept indoors.Cats have gone from working animals to creatures of leisure.
Games You Can Play With Your Dog
Dogs need mental and physical stimulation. They're also very inquisitive creatures, and they love spending time with their owners, and other people in your family.
Oscar
Oscar is kind of a funny name and it fit you. Other than a Dachshund, I had never seen a two-foot long dog with such short legs.
Crate Training Dogs: The Right Way and the Wrong Way - Part Two
Part2: Does your puppy want to be crate trained?Yes! in fact, he does. Your puppy or dog will soon see his crate as a place of security, IF it's approached correctly.
Is your Dog Malnourished?
Americans are more concerned about health than ever before, so we should also have an equal amount of concern for our pets ..
Media Influence on Public Perception of Exotic Cat Ownership
What makes something news? The fact that you take good care of your pets isn't newsworthy. Neither is your recent trip to the supermarket; If something is normal, it isn't news.
3 Tips For Dealing With Dog Emergencies
Have you ever thought about what you need to do should your dog - or another dog - ever suffer a serious, life-threatening injury? What if they have a severe allergy to an insect bite or a bee sting? It's great to know your vet's phone number, but what if something happens during off hours? What if you don't know where the closest emergency animal clinic is located?Augh! Enough with the questions already, right? Any emergency is stressful and scary, and one involving that furry little four-legged member of your family is no exception. The toughest of owners can be instantly reduced to helpless balls of mush if something's wrong with their dogs and they can't figure out what to do.
Caring for an Older Cat - Cat Health and Cat Care
Cats are living longer lives thanks to dedicated care from their humans, and advances in veterinary medicine. Most experts consider a cat's "senior years" to begin on her 10th birthday.
Have an Itchy Dog? Consider These Grooming Tips Before Turning To Chemical Treatments
Many dogs today suffer from itchy skin caused by a variety of factors. Dogs actually have more sensitive skin than humans, and are often exposed to a variety of irritants in their environment.
How to Maintain Your Love Affair With Your Dog: Part One - Training
Training Tips for a Happy and Healthy Relationship with Your Canine CompanionWhen I first laid eyes on my little ball of black fluff at an adoption fair, I knew there was no turning back. My husband and I had been looking for just the right dog for months, and all the research and networking had finally paid off.