Hurricane season is here, and we’ve talked before about how you and your family should prepare in the event of a hurricane impacting our area.
A lot of times, that hurricane preparation is for the humans in the house. But how do you prepare a hurricane kit just solely for your animals?
First stop: Care-A-Lot. A pet supply store like this can literally be your only stop because you should be able to find everything you need right here.
“First off make sure that you ID your pet," said Nadeen over at Care-A-Lot. "You should have a collar, and a leash and a pet tag."
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Have all the basics you would need in the event your pet goes missing. This is helpful even without an impending storm.
Tags that can be placed on the outside of your home to indicate to emergency personnel that there are pets inside are super helpful. But one important tip in the case of an evacuation...
“If you evacuate with your pet and you have this sticker on your home, make sure that you write 'evacuated' on it so no one goes into your house looking for pets that are no longer there,” said Nadeen.
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What are the essentials to have in your go-kit in case you need to leave? Have a crate to transport and also house your animal in the event you wind up at a shelter. This crate can also be used to store all of your go-kit items.
Here’s your shopping list:
- At least five days worth of food for each animal.
- A container to store your food once it is opened.
- Collapsible food and water bowls. Best to pick ones that are easily stored and cleaned.
- Pet cleanup bags. For cats, there are disposable litter boxes.
- Any pet beds or blankets that would comfort your animal in transit to a safe place.
- Lots of water and a pet first aid kit as well.
Make sure to also have on-hand all vaccination records because they may be asked to be seen in the case you’re seeking shelter at a dog-friendly location.
Making sure your pet is comfortable will help ease the stress of an already extremely stressful event if an evacuation is required. Planning ahead saves time and energy so make the effort now before a storm is heading in our direction.