June is Pet Preparedness Month: Are You Ready?
By Crystal Hanson, Vice President
South Dakota weather can be unpredictable, with snow storms, electrical outages, hail and high winds, lightning and fires, flash floods and tornadoes - conditions can change quickly. That’s why having an emergency plan isn’t just important for us, but for our pets too.
At our house, I’ll admit it - I probably have a more detailed emergency plan for our two dogs than I do for ourselves. And honestly, that’s not a bad thing.
Spring is the time of year I reevaluate our pet emergency plan, especially since we camp and travel frequently with our dogs. I have a pet travel bag that is always packed and ready to go at all times. It doubles as both a travel bag and pet emergency kit, which makes things simple and less stressful if we needed to leave quickly. As an added bonus, our dogs recognize the travel bag and associate it with leaving the house, so they follow me everywhere when I get it out. Hopefully this will provide some familiarity for them in an emergency.
Miles is staying close to his “to go” bag in case it’s time for a trip.
What’s is our emergency kit? Think of the essentials your pet would need for at least three days:
Bottled water
3 days of food
Collapsible food and water bowls
Toys and Treats (help reduce stress and provide comfort)
Poop bags
Spare harnesses and leashes
Your contact information as well as a non household persons contact information
Your Veterinary clinic name and number
Small pet first aid kit (we include bleed stop styptic powder)
Depending on your pets needs, you may also want to include:
manual can opener ( if your pets eat canned food)
A couple days of medication
Don’t forget digital preparedness.
In emergency situations, you may not have access to Wi-Fi or records, so take a few simple steps now:
Update photos of your pet (I have a gazillion on my phone but very few that would make a good missing photo)
Take a “pet selfie” with you and your pet to help prove ownership if separated.
Screenshot or take pictures of vaccinations and important documents
Graphic provided by ready.gov
Keep it fresh
Spring is the perfect time to rotate supplies. Swap out older food and treats in your “to go” bag and replace them with fresh items so everything is ready when needed.
Plan ahead for the “what ifs”
If you had to evacuate your home:
Do you know a safe place to take your pets?
Do you know which hotels take pets or what the boarding options nearby?
In an emergency, some places will waive no pet policies, don’t be afraid to ask.
Also consider:
Is your pet microchipped?
Are vaccinations up to date?
Being prepared doesn’t have to be complicated- but it does make all the difference. Taking a little time now can help ensure your pets stay safe, comfortable, and by your side in an emergency.
