by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Being prepared for an emergency with your pet:

• Have proper ID tags on your dog/cat with your Cell phone # on it.

• Make sure if your dog is microchiped  – that the microchip registered with your proper contact information (many people don’t realize this) read our post here “Is your pet’s Microchip registered?“

• Have a copy of your pets most recent veterinary records with you and an extra copy in your car, take a photo of them store them on your phone as well.

• If you have to evacuate – Do you know where you are going? Is it pet friendly shelter or hotel? Can you bring your pets with you?

• If you are staying with family or friends and they have pets you should bring your pets crate with you, (or go out and buy one now), to be able to give your pet a safe secure place to be incase the pets don’t get along.

• Have an extra crate in the trunk of your car – if you have to leave in a moments notice.

• Gas up you car before the storm is close and get some cash so you have it just in case.

• Have a recent, clear picture of your pet printed out – put in a ziplock baggie, (what if you can’t re-charge your phone?)

• Store pertinent contact information for Emergency Vets within a 50 mile radius of your home and Animal Shelters in your phone (and have printed out) – you may not have wifi – so being able to access your contact list is helpful.

• Have a bag prepared and ready to go with all your pets needs.

• Always have an extra collar and leash in you car and in this bag.  And in your car also.

• Have a 1^st aid kit prepared and in the bag – I keep one in my car too.
• Take a Pet CPR and 1st Aid class – being prepared ahead, knowing what to do can save a pets life.  Click here to see the next class coming up on Long Island.
• Have a week’s supply or more of pet food and water (if you feed raw realize that you may have to feed kibble in place of that raw food in case you’re power goes out or if you are staying somewhere with your pet that has no refrigeration for the raw food.)  Also a great option for Raw is the freeze dried raw food that doesn’t have to be refrigerated.

• Any medication your pet is taking – make sure you have refills of that ready to go – call your veterinarian now – better to be safe than sorry. (Many vets will call a pets prescription into a local pharmacy if you can get to the vet’s office or if you don’t live close to your vet.)

• Have towels and blankets in your car – incase your pet is wet and needs to be dried off.

• Have a crate, carrier or cage easily accessible if you need to leave in a hurry – and you can throw it in your car. (Many store our crates in not so easy to get to places – attics, basements, if you have to grab it in a moments notice).

During the storm – if you don’t have to evacuate and you’re riding it out at home as many of us will be – remember that:

• Many pets can be completely freaked out during storms. They feel the Barometric pressure, they hear the wind, rain and thunder.   So you and your family have to be diligent about keeping them safe, indoors and confined.

• Make sure your doors leading outside are secured – so your pet doesn’t sneak outside.

• If you have a gated yard, be sure to tie or bungy cord that gate shut, and if you absolutely have to take your pet out during the storm (this is Very much NOT suggested!).  If you do have to take them out for potty, have a properly secured collar or harness on, (that they can’t slip out of), and leash your pet to take them outside.   Wear gloves or tie your dog to you when going outside so the leash doesn’t slip out of your hands.

• I personally would wait to take my dog Cody outside or only let him go potty a few feet from the door and if you have wee-wee pads in the house – see if your pet would use them.

This is not about being paranoid – this is about being prepared!

For Long Islander’s you can click here for a list of Animal Shelters below:

Long Island Town Municipal Shelters – where lost pets could be:

Town of Babylon Animal Shelter
51 Lamar Street
West Babylon – 11702
631-643-9270