We often hear about natural disasters on the news: tornados, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires, and snowstorms. Maybe you have personally experienced or know someone who has experienced such an event before. Natural disasters cause severe damage and can happen anywhere throughout the world, leaving an impact on animals and their human companions.
September is Natural Disaster Preparedness Month, which reminds us that we, as responsible pet owners, should all prepare for emergencies that could affect our pets’ well-being ahead of time. Creating emergency plans and stocking supplies before disaster strikes will help you and your pet should such an emergency come to our area (Cambridge, Ontario). In some natural disasters, we could experience a loss of services such as electric power, gas, and water. Having alternate sources of necessities like water, food, battery-powered generators and fuel for heat will help you and your pet weather the storm more comfortably together.
Some things you should include in your pet emergency supply kit are:
Make sure all your pets are wearing up-to-date identification tags. If your pet is not microchipped, you may want to make an appointment to have this done. Place stickers on doors and windows to notify rescue crews (fire and police) that animals are in the house and need to be evacuated. Giving a neighbour or a family member a key to your house so they can look after your pets in the event you are travelling and away from home would be a good idea.
If you are being evacuated from your home, take your animals with you. If a situation is unsafe for you, then it is unsafe for your pets. It never hurts to be ready for an emergency, and your pets will thank you for it.
