Oct32010
INSTANT SURVIVAL TIP: Do You Have What it Takes to Evacuate Your Pet?
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PDFToday we brought home Taco, a four year-old orange cat. We had decided to adopt a pet and spent over two hours getting acquainted with several kittens of different ages. As soon as Taco was placed in my son’s arms, we knew he was the one. Transporting him home was easy because we had brought a crate along that was just his size.
image by miss vichan
This got me thinking about how often pet owners don’t have the right equipment or containers for transporting their pets. In an evacuation, emotions are already high, and the last thing any family needs is for a beloved cat or dog to bolt right into harm’s way. Often, reptiles and small mammals are already housed in pens and containers, but often those aren’t designed to be portable, and balancing a fish tank in the back seat of a car isn’t very practical.
Before there is an emergency that requires a quick get-away, make plans now for how you will safely transport each pet. Prepare a crate ahead of time with a towel or blanket inside, small water & food dishes, and an extra collar and leash. While you’re at it, take photos of your pets and make copies of records that prove ownership as well as health records. Just in case you must place your pet in a shelter temporarily, these documents will prove invaluable.
Plan ahead now for how you will transport your pets and avoid chaos and heartbreak later.
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(13) Readers Comments
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A Review of the Diva Cup: Not for the faint of heart. (Men, avert your eyes.)
I love my DivaCup. Going on 6 years (with a year or so off due to havi
A Review of the Diva Cup: Not for the faint of heart. (Men, avert your eyes.)
I did the same thing! LOL
A Review of the Diva Cup: Not for the faint of heart. (Men, avert your eyes.)
Here, Here! Made the switch a few months ago and never looking back.
LizLong
We have bowls that screw onto the door of our cat carrier. It's much easier and less messy than an unsecured bowl inside the carrier.
Mama4x
I tried one of those, but it ended up spilling when I shut the door, when the kids jostled it, or when the dog was pawing at the door. Now I prefer to just offer them water every time we stop.
Dagny
Kudos to Survival Mom for raising awareness on this aspect of preparedness. Just like with people, be cognizant of pets' needs in terms of medicine and food. I buy a new 30lb bag of dog food when it gets down to around half, which means I always have at least a month's worth on hand. This dog food is not available at the big chains and it can cause problems if you suddenly switch your dog's food. It's also good to have a First Aid kit for your pets. Hurricane Katrina put the spotlight on the failure of evacuation shelters to make provisions for family pets which has resulted in some improvement but I still would not count on my dog being allowed into a shelter. And it would be a good idea to get pets accustomed to travel before an emergency need arises.
Josh
I have a small dog that I adopted from a shelter about 3 years ago. My first prep that I was able to complete was his year supply of dog food. He doesn't eat that much, so i figured it would be one of the first things i got out of the way. He loves going on rides so I figure he will be just fine when it is time to transport him somewhere. He also gets along with other dogs really well. I still have to work on his stranger skills. He doesn't quite trust them yet!
The Ferret
I have trained my 2 cats to go into thier carries by only giveing them treats inside the carriers.LOL,makes things alot easier when it comes time for the trips to the vets or if you have to bug out.
TheSurvivalMom
I need you to come to my house, then, and train our cat, Daisy. That cat is hell on four legs. I've only had to crate her once, but let me tell you, we tried EVERYTHING! We even watched instructional videos on You Tube, to no avail!! If we ever have to evacuate, we would have to leave her behind or let her ride, loose, in the car. That would be interesting, perhaps fatal. LOL
LizLong
My method is as follows (and our cats had their front claws removed): have a towel handy and the crate open, on it's side so the opening is on top in a hard-to-see spot. Pick up and hold cat. Grab towel and wrap the lower half, at least, in towel to prevent clawing. Run to crate, drop it in, slam lid shut. It won't work for every cat, but it helped us.
TheSurvivalMom
Maybe I just need to run faster next time. LOL
The Ferret
LOL one of mine likes to ride in the car,can't let him out of the cage he likes to try and drive
You might want to try and leave the carrier out with a blanket or something in the floor of it,give them treats in it,maybe a little cat nip also put it near a fireplace or somewhere warm now that the weather is getting cooler.and a hint,,don't try and shut the door on them yet,let them get used to comeing and going from the carrier.
Chris
For water pick up on of the bottle things used to water pets such as rabbits. It won't spill everywhere and your cats and smaller dogs (I'm not sure about big ones) will drink out of it.
L P
It is helpful to have some of the stress relieving sprays of pastes for your pet. If you are leaving at the last minute, they can help, but it's best to get them goin an hour ahead of time. Oh, the joys of advanced warning.
You'll need for them what you have for you. Food, water (or filtration), sanitary supplies (doggy bags), medical and play toys. You'll also need to include play time and grooming into your after-evac and on-the-road schedule. Yes, pets are animals, but they are "special" in that we chose to keep them for particular reasons, and they do become a part of the family. At a minimum, we should be aware of their needs.
MandaPanda
my dogs are pretty good with riding in cars & will follow me around off leash. although they usually sniff around, wander a bit, & ignore any command except "come". other pets people dont usually think about are horses. not many people talk about disaster situations with horses, what would happen with them, where they would go & other problems. of course that is a very complicated subject wich includes multiple senarios & outcomes. love your site!!
Julia
For cats, don’t forgt to bring harnesses( not leashes) to allow them to get out and walk. They won’t like them, but they can’t escape out of them like they can a collar and a leash.