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Disaster Strikes!
by Loraine Miller
Trends Magazine
Nothing says it better
than the horror story from Hurricane Floyd: A man was leaving his
flooded home when he noticed a neighbor's dogs swimming in circles
around the yard. Wondering why the dogs didn't simply swim to
safety, the man swam over to investigate. To his horror, he found
that the dogs had been left chained to a stake in the yard and were
swimming frantically just to stay alive. He was able to rescue the
dogs, but stories such as this pointedly demonstrate the need for
you to have a good action plan in case a natural disaster strikes
your home. In this instance, the dogs' owner most likely had been
told to leave everything behind and flee as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, his dogs nearly lost their lives as a result.
In the event of an
emergency, your life and your family's lives are the first you
should be concerned with. You should only look to save your animals
once you are sure you and your family will be safe. But once you are
safe, you most likely will want to ensure the safety of your pets.
Are you prepared?
Consider Your Location
First things first. You can only be prepared with a plan of action
if you know what you're planning for, so take some time to think
about the area you live in. Some areas are naturally prone to
certain disasters-California's earthquakes, for example. Find out
what types of disasters have previously struck your area-hurricanes,
floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, blizzards, etc. Contacting your
local emergency management office or Red Cross will help you to
identify what could affect your particular neighborhood. You should
also plan for non-natural disasters-fires, gas leaks, chemical
spills, etc. If, for example, there's a big chemical processing
plant in your area, then you need to be aware of the possible
dangers so that you can react if need be. No matter where you live,
you've got your own special brand of disaster just around the
corner, and it may strike at any time.
If You Leave, They Leave
As we said before, if you have to leave your home, take your
pets with you as long as doing so won't endanger your or your
family's lives. As a general rule of thumb, if it isn't safe for you
to be there, it isn't safe for them either. People often rationalize
that pets will survive without help by relying on instinct. But even
if your cat, who has spent the last six years of his life hunting
fake mice, does have the instincts to survive, it doesn't mean that
the conditions are survivable. No drinkable water for you means no
drinkable water for him too. Of course, you have to have somewhere
to take your four-legged friends-Red Cross disaster shelters cannot
accept pets. Make a list of all the places within a 100-mile radius
of your home where you might be able to take your pet if the need
arises, include boarding facilities, veterinarians with boarding
capabilities, hotels that will accept pets (ask if they'll allow
pets during a disaster situation), and animal shelters. (Use animal
shelters only as a last resort, as they will be overburdened with
other animals whose owners did not plan for them). Also, you need to
gather your critters inside the house as soon as you are aware that
you may have to leave, so that you can easily get them when it's
time to go. Then, when you do leave, make sure you have your little
friends under firm control-even the best behaved dog can become
scared during an emergency, making his behavior less than
predictable.
Be Prepared
Like a Boy Scout, you should always be prepared. This means having a
disaster kit in your home as well as a smaller version in the trunk
of your car if your pet routinely rides with you. Make sure that
your pet's kit is contained in something that is easy to pick up
quickly and take out the door with you. You should replace the food
and water every six months and rethink your pet's needs for the kit
once a year to make sure that the supplies meet your current
needs-the same collar that fits your new kitten is not likely to fit
him a year later.
The kit should include
a week's supply of food and water in nonbreakable, airtight
containers to ensure safety and freshness. If you pack canned food,
you'll want to make sure you have a hand-held can opener too. And
don't forget a plastic dish that can function as both a food and
water dish. An extra collar and leash are important as well. You
should also have a portable kennel for each of your critters handy.
The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
says that the official Red Cross policy is that there are no animals
allowed in emergency shelters, but they have been known to make
exceptions if the animal is securely confined. Pets such as birds
will obviously have to have a carrier of some sort as they cannot be
leashed. You will want to make certain that you have a well-stocked
first-aid kit for your pet that includes tweezers, gauze bandages,
first aid cream, antiseptic spray, and hydrogen peroxide. Ask your
veterinarian about storing any medications that your pet may need to
take regularly.
All The Right Papers
Many people have their home telephone numbers on their pets' ID
tags. You may want to have an extra set of tags made that list the
number of a friend or family member outside the area so that if your
phone lines are down or you've been evacuated, your pets can still
make it back to you. Another option is to simply include an
out-of-area number on your pet's everyday tag, which can be useful
if you're away on vacation too. And many people don't have tags for
their cats at all, even though they should. According to the 1996
National Council on Pet Population Study, out of 1 million dogs and
580,000 cats that were taken in as strays, only 17 percent of the
dogs and 2 percent of the cats made it back to their owners. The
American Humane Association strongly believes that a tag is your
pet's ticket home. You may also want to consider having your pet
microchipped.
And finally, don't
forget the paperwork. Have a copy of your pet's recent vaccination
records in your kit-some boarding facilities may require them before
they will take your pet in. A recent picture of your pet may also
come in handy if you should become separated and need to make "Lost"
posters. Hopefully you won't ever have to put them up, and hopefully
you'll never have to use your disaster plan. But if you do ever need
it, you'll be very thankful that you were prepared; it could make a
trying time a bit easier for you and your faithful companion.
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