With a bit of thought and planning you can make your pet’s life a lot easier during an emergency situation. Remember it may not be possible to take your pet with you to a temporary evacuation shelter. You might need to move your animals first.
Check with the council and other local agencies to see if there are any arrangements in place regarding temporary animal shelters. Consider a temporary foster home or boarding your pet in a safe environment away from the emergency zone.
Put together a Pet Emergency Kit containing:
- medications (enough for two weeks) and instructions for use, vaccination records and veterinarian details
- sufficient food and water for two weeks (don’t forget the can opener if you have tinned food)
- bedding, toys, grooming equipment
- pet carrier, leash or harness to aid in moving your pet
- sanitation needs (bags, disinfectant)
- important telephone numbers
- identification details and a current photo (keep a copy of this to assist in identifying you as the legal owner).
Download a copy of the Pet Emergency Plan factsheet to help you create an emergency plan and record important details.