National Pet Day - April 11, 2012

Tomorrow is National Pet Day. Honor your pet by preparing them for disasters. Here are a few tips from Ready Ga...

Start with the basics – Prepare your pets just like you would your two-legged family members. Create a Ready kit and include basic items such as food and water for three days, medication and important documents like rabies vaccination forms. You may also want to include an extra collar with an ID tag, an extra harness or leash and familiar items such as favorite toy, bed or crate to reduce stress.

Arrange a safe haven – There are two things to keep in mind: If it isn’t safe for you, it isn’t safe for your pets. Also, if you have to evacuate, most public shelters cannot accept animals. Make a plan detailing where to take your pet during an emergency. Try to locate a hotel or shelter that would accept you and your pet. Or consider a boarding facility. You could also ask neighbors, or friends and relatives outside of your immediate area if they could be a temporary caregiver for your pet.

Stay put and stay safe – At the first sign of a warning or storm disaster, always bring your pets indoors. Make sure that all of your pets wear collars and tags with up-to-date identification in case you have to evacuate immediately. Leaving pets behind, even if you try to create a safe place for them, is likely to result in them being injured, lost or worse. Stay informed by monitoring a local radio station, TV station or NOAA Weather Radio for the latest information, and follow the directions of local officials when told to evacuate.