Do You Have a Disaster Plan for Your Pets?

Hurricane Preparedness and Other Tips from Our Veterinarians in Scarsdale

This time of year people are concerned about hurricane season, which extends from May-June through November. Keep in mind, however, that hurricane preparedness includes keeping your pets safe too — and that other types of disasters can occur throughout the year. Here are some strategies from Central Animal Hospital for creating a natural disaster plan for your furry friends.

Safety begins at home, so you will want to make sure rescue workers can find and save your pets quickly in a disaster. Put up a rescue alert sticker that tells how many pets are in the house and where to locate them in an emergency. If you and your pets must leave the home, it is best to write “Evacuated” on the sticker. Once you get moving, however, you must already know where to take your pet for emergency shelter. Map out all the local veterinarians, boarding facilities, willing neighbors and other safe havens in your area so you can head off without a moment’s hesitation.

However quickly you leave, you will need to have your pet’s essentials all ready to go as part of your natural disaster plan — including food and water, litter, medication, medical records, and photos to help you describe your pet if you get separated. Microchipping is a very smart move to ensure that your pet can be identified and reuinted with you. A tiny microchip embedded under your pet’s skin allows a shelter’s scanner to read his unique ID number and then use that number to track you down.

A Natural Disaster Plan Could Save Your Pet’s Life

In the chaos and destruction of a natural disaster, being prepared and having a plan could make all the difference in ensuring that your beloved companions will remain safe, well, and with their families. Feel free to contact our veterinarians in Scarsdale to learn more about ways you can protect your pets in times of crisis.

Have your experienced a natural disaster before? Tell us what happened!