Mole Alert: Tis the Season of Disaster Prep for Pets

05/20/2011

Riding Out the Storm

Who can see the images (like the one above of a cat stranded at a flooded home in Louisiana) from the aftermath of those recent tornadoes ravaging the south and remain unmoved? And the Mississippi River and its tributaries keep rising, turning towns into lakes. Springtime's wild weather has matched this past fierce winter's, which stayed longer than an unwelcome guest. But the unpredictable,violent storms we've seen serve as a reminder of how fragile we are if Mother Nature comes calling in one of her foul moods.

See More Photos and Video of Animals Stranded By the Mississippi Flooding

So the recent National Animal Disaster Awareness Day, which always falls on the second Saturday in May, served as a timely wake-up call for pet-parents. Having a plan for getting your pet to safety in the event of a weather emergency is as important as your own plan for survival. Your terrier or tabby (or bunny or parakeet!) is a member of the family, of course, and you wouldn't have it any other way. 

 Perhaps haunted by those photos of confused, desperate dogs and cats on rooftops in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, officialdom, including FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and the Red Cross, now recognizes that animals need to be considered in the face of disaster.

FEMA's Deputy Administrator Richard Serino taped a message about preparations for your pets last year, and it's still on the FEMA website http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/2484, and you can also get the 411 on putting together a pet emergency kit. http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/pets.html

But aside from the common-sense articles such as food and litter boxes the real challenge is knowing where your pet can go in an emergency. Those tightly packed emergency relief shelters usually won't accept pets for a variety of reasons.

Brad Kriser, who's spent a decade working on healthy pet lifestyle and runs all-natural pet supply stores in Los Angeles and Chicago, said he always recommends that pet owners "plan ahead about where you're going if disaster occurs, and whether your pets can go there too. If they cannot, it's important to determine where they can go. In no circumstance should pets be left at home." He suggests keeping a 7-day supply of the animal's food, any meds, and bottled water on hand, along with an extra leash and harness for dogs and a sturdy crate or carrier for cats. He also suggests freeze-dried food, which will keep well, and the herbal liquid, Rescue Remedy, which has a soothing effect on anxious animals.

It's easy to joke about stocking up on bottled water or duct tape, or planning to jump in the car and drive your family and pets to destinations unknown. But if you check with your vet and your local animal shelter, you may find a smarter solution.

The recent storms DID have some animal survivors. In North Carolina, where a neighborhood was reduced to fragments, a chubby black-and-white cat named Oreo hid in a shed that was miraculously spared, and four tiny puppies brought smiles to those who found them in Alabama. If disaster hit, would your pets be as lucky?

 

Photo: REUTERS/Eric Thayer