With hurricane season already upon us, it’s extremely important for pet owners to make necessary preparations. This includes having a plan in motion for you and your family, but also for any dogs, cats, or other pets you have in your home. It will be too late to formulate a plan and gather everything you need if you’re already in the middle of a storm. Taking pre-emptive measures is crucial to protecting you, your family, and your pets during hurricane season.
The numbers are truly staggering when it comes to pets and hurricanes. It’s estimated that over 200,000 pets were abandoned during Hurricane Katrina and that over 100,000 perished during and after the storm. Closer to home, it’s estimated that between 50,000 and 600,000 pets were killed or abandoned in Houston during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. These statistics are tragic, but entirely preventable as long as you know how to prepare and keep your pets safe during hurricane season.
- Make an Emergency Plan for Your Pet
- Microchip Your Pets
- Are Shelters an Option?
- Manage Your Pets Anxiety
- Prep for Post-Hurricane Sickness
- Conclusion
Make an Emergency Plan for Your Pet
The first step to keeping your pets safe during hurricane season is to make an emergency plan with them in mind. Hopefully, if you live in an area prone to hurricanes, you already have an emergency plan for you and your family. All you have to do is factor your pet into the equation and make any necessary adjustments for them.
A big part of your emergency plan for your pet is to make sure you have all the documents and supplies necessary to keep them safe. This includes:
- Your pet's medical records including shots, vaccines, and conditions
- Any medications and supplements they need
- Enough food and water to last for two to three days
- A sturdy four to six-foot leash to keep your pet close by
- Treats in case your pet wanders off
- Their food and water dishes
- ID tags with your pet’s name and your contact information if they get lost
- A first aid kit with antibiotic cream and pet-friendly bandages
- A pet carrier for cats, birds, or small dogs
- Your pets' favorite toy or blanket to occupy and comfort them
- Poop bags or plastic bags to clean up messes
- A muzzle if you have a slightly aggressive dog because you might be around people or other animals
In general, you should put the same thought and care into packing your pet's emergency evacuation kit that you would for your own. You should also make sure that everything is in a bag or kit that’s easy to carry and easy to get to because you might be leaving in a hurry.
Microchip Your Pets
Apart from preparing your pets' bug-out bag or emergency evacuation kit, the next best thing you can do is microchip them. Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean implanting a tracker device inside your pet or injecting them with something. Instead, microchips for pets look very similar to ID tags and get clipped to the collar of your pet. Microchipping your pet gives the two of you the best chance at a reunion if you happen to get separated, which, despite your best efforts, could happen.
Depending on the type of microchip you have, it will work in one of two ways. It will either have a barcode that a vet clinic or rescue shelter can scan and bring up your contact information. Or, it will have a tracking device so that you can track down your pet via a Bluetooth signal. If you want to be thorough, you should use a microchip with both capabilities.
Are Shelters an Option?
If you’re in a pickle and can’t take your dog with you, you’re probably wondering if taking them to a rescue shelter to weather the storm is an option. Unfortunately, most animal shelters are going to have their hands full already and won’t be able to take on an extra animal. Especially one that’s already owned by someone because of the risk and liability involved.
Manage Your Pets Anxiety
Pets, especially dogs, have big personalities and a surprising amount of emotions. Depending on their breed and personality, there’s a good chance that they’ll need your comfort as much as you’ll need theirs. Make sure you remain as calm as possible when talking to your dog and keep your emotions in check. Dogs are very intuitive animals and will sense when something isn’t right with you.
Another good option is to add a thunder shirt or thunder vest to your dog’s emergency care kit. Thunder shirts and vests are designed to wrap tightly around your dog's torso like wrapping up in a tight blanket. The compression from the shirt is meant to have a calming effect and make your dog feel safe. It’s somewhat like swaddling a baby.
If You’re Riding Out the Storm
If you’re planning to stay at home and ride out the storm, many of these same principles apply. It’s important to have an emergency kit ready if necessary and to stay calm and manage your pet's anxiety. Additionally, you should also keep your pet with you at all times before, during, and after the storm so you don’t lose track of them. Even if they’re in your home, you might want to put them on a leash, in case an opening gets created in your home or a door flies open.
Prep for Post-Hurricane Sickness
Finally, whether you stay at home or evacuate, you should get ready for post-hurricane diseases and bugs. Hurricanes and similar storms bring tons of rain and heavy winds to your area, but they also increase diseases such as heartworm, leptospirosis, and intestinal worms. You should make sure that your pet is up to date on all their vaccinations and shots.
You should also try to limit the amount of rainwater your pet drinks. Depending on where you live and where the hurricane came from, there’s a good chance that they could get giardia or other bacteria-related diseases from drinking contaminated water.
Conclusion
As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into preparing your pet for hurricane season. However, if you love and care about them, taking these steps is necessary to ensure their safety. Hurricanes happen quickly and can escalate even quicker. Being prepared and having a plan in motion is vital to keep every member of your family safe, including your pets.
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