Preparing your Pets for Emergencies
When you prepare your family for an emergency you should also plan for your pet. Preparing an emergency plan and assembling your emergency supplies for your family and your pet is easy. Use The City of Toronto’s Office of Emergency Management “Personal Preparedness Guide” to prepare you and your family for an emergency. This guide will assist you in assembling supplies for your pet.
Here are three easy steps for you to follow when preparing your pet(s) for an emergency.
1) Prepare
2) Plan
3) Stay Informed
Whether you decide to stay put in an emergency or evacuate with your pet to a safer location, you will need to prepare and make plans in advance for your pets just as you do for your family. Remember what is best for you is typically also what is best for your animals.
STEP 1. Prepare: A Pet Emergency Supply Kit
Include supplies for your pet when you’re preparing your family’s three day emergency supply. Make two supply kits that are light weight and easy to carry. One for you and one for your pet in case you and your pet have to evacuate. Check your kits regularly to ensure that their contents, especially foods and medicines are fresh. The kit should consist of:
Food and water:
- Keep at least three days of food in an airtight, waterproof container.
- Store at least three days of water for your pets plus the water you need for your family.
Medicines and medical records:
- Keep an extra supply of your pet’s daily medicine in a waterproof container.
- Talk to your vet about what is most appropriate for your pet’s emergency medical needs.
- Place copies of your pet’s identification and registration information, a photo of your pet, adoption papers, vaccination documents and medical records in a clean plastic bag or waterproof container and add to your kit.
First aid kit:
- The kit should include cotton bandage rolls, tape, scissors and antibiotic ointment; flea and tick prevention; latex gloves, isopropyl alcohol and saline solution. Include a pet first aid reference book.
Collar with ID tag and on-line pet licensing:
- Toronto requires all dogs and cats owned in the City of Toronto to be licensed and wearing a tag at all times. You now can licence your pet on-line. You should also consider permanent identification such as microchipping and enrolling your pet in the microchip recovery database.
Pet carrier:
- Keep a safe, sturdy and comfortable pet carrier for your pet in case you need to evacuate the carrier should be large enough for your pet to stand, turn around a lie down.
Sanitation:
- Include pet carrier liners, pet litter and litter box if appropriate, newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags and household chlorine bleach to provide for your pet’s sanitation needs.
- Bleach can be used as a disinfectant (dilute nine parts water to one part bleach), or in an emergency you can also use it to purify water. Use 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented or color safe bleach or those with added cleaners.
Familiar items:
- Favourite toys, treats or bedding in your kit. Familiar items can help reduce stress for your pet.
Harness, leash and muzzle:
- Have a backup leash, collar, ID tags and muzzle in your pet’s emergency supply kit.
A picture of you and your pet together:
- Bring a picture of you and your pet together in case you become separated during emergency. A picture of you and your pet together will help you document ownership and allow others to assist you in identifying your pet. Include detailed information about species, breed, age, sex, colour and distinguishing characteristics.
Step 2. Plan: What you will do in an emergency
Depending on your circumstances and the nature of the emergency the first important decision is whether you stay put or get away. You should plan for both possibilities. Some of the things you do to prepare for the unexpected, such as assembling an emergency supply kit for yourself, your family and your pets, is the same regardless of the type of emergency. Use common sense and the information you are receiving to determine if there is immediate danger in any emergency. Local authorities may not immediately be able to provide information on what is happening and what you should do. That can change quickly, so check frequently with your TV, radio or internet for instructions from local authorities. If you’re specifically told to evacuate or seek medical treatment do so immediately and take your pets with you.
Create an emergency get away plan:
- If you are going to a public shelter, animals may not be allowed inside. Develop alternate pet sheltering plans that work for both you and your pets.
- Make a back-up emergency plan in case you can’t care for your animals yourself
- Starting a pet buddy system with friends and relatives living outside the emergency zone is a good way to make sure someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so.
- Be prepared to improvise use what you have on hand to make it on your own for at least three days, maybe longer.
Secure shelter for your pet:
- If you must evacuate to a public shelter, keep in mind your animals may not be allowed inside. Secure appropriated lodging in advance depending on the number and type of animals in your care. Consider family or friends who are willing to take in you and your pets in an emergency.
- Other options may include a hotel or motel that takes pets or a boarding facility, such as a kennel or veterinary hospital that is near an evacuation facility or your family’s meeting place.
- Find out before an emergency happens if any of these facilities in your area might be viable options for you and your pets.
Develop a buddy system:
- Plan with neighbours friends or relatives to make sure that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so.
- Talk with your pet care buddy about your evacuation plans and show them where you keep your pet’s emergency supply kit.
- Also designate specific locations, in your immediate neighbourhood and another farther away, where you will meet in an emergency.
Talk to your pet’s veterinarian about emergency planning:
- Discuss what you should include in your pet’s emergency first aid kit.
- Ask about permanent ID such as microchipping and enrolling your pet in a recovery data base.
- If your pet is microchipped remember to keep your emergency contact information up to date and linked with a reliable recovery database in order to be useful in reuniting you with your lost pet.
- Get the names of vets or animal hospitals in other cities where you might seek temporary shelter.
- Gather contact information for emergency animal treatment. Make a list of contact information of area animal control agencies, humane societies and emergency veterinary hospitals. Keep a copy of these phone numbers with you and one in your pet’s emergency supply kit.
Obtain, “Pets inside” stickers and place them on your doors or windows
- Include information on the number and type of pets in your home to alert firefighters and rescue workers. Consider putting a phone number on the sticker where you, could be reached in an emergency. Write the words “Evacuated with Pets” across the stickers, should you flee with your pets.
Step 3. Stay Informed: Know about the emergencies expected in your area and stay tuned to latest information
- Be prepared to assess the situation as new developments are announced. It’s important to stay informed about what might happen and know what types of emergencies are likely to affect your region as well as how your local authorities plan to respond to each emergency. Be aware of emergency planning information prepared by the federal, provincial and city of Toronto governments. A self-powered windup radio can help you stay informed should a power failure occur or you run out of batteries. For more information about how to prepare visit the following:
Toronto Office of Emergency Management