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| By: Elise Faber, CPDT and member IACP (www.canineprofessionals.com) |
You may have a weeks worth of food for every member of your family, but did you include your pooch in that calculation?
Do you have water? An extra bowl and leash? What about blankets or first aid supplies?
In light of the recent events abroad, it is important to remember to plan for your pet in the case of a natural disaster or an emergency.
Here are some things that you should have or might want to include in your emergency kit for you dog:
1. One weeks worth of food (remember that dog food does go bad, so rotate the food out of the disaster kit and into your pup’s food dish a few times a year)
2. Water--your dog is going to be thirsty as well
3. Dish--1 dish can be used for both food and water. I prefer a small metal bowl because I think it has many uses, but a folding bowl will save space
4. Leash/collar--you don’t know if you will have time to grab one if you leave your house in a hurry
5. Small blanket
6. First Aid Kit
a. Gauze Pads (3 or 4” squares)
b. Gauze Rolls (2” roll for small dogs, 3” roll for big dogs)
c. Adhesive Tape (1” roll)
d. Individually-Wrapped Sanitary Napkins (for bleeding control)
e. Triangular Bandage
f. Tweezers
g. Blunt End Scissors
h. Neosporin (never use the pain reliever form)
i. Rubbing Alcohol
j. Hydrogen Peroxide
k. Saline Solution
l. Vinegar or Baking Soda (a mild alkali for neutralizing burns caused by acids)
m. Chemical Ice Pack
n. Q-tips
o. gloves
p. plastic bags (ziploc, grocery sized, and at least 1 garbage bag)
7. Muzzle--you never know how your pup will react if injured, this is for your pup’s and your own safety (be sure to try it on at least once to ensure proper fit before putting it in the kit)
8. Photo of You and Your Pet--if your pup goes missing, you need to have a picture of it in order to show the proper officials. Make sure you have both of you in the picture, just in case you need to prove ownership and don’t have your documentation.
9. Vaccination certification--update yearly and ask your veterinarian for a copy at your pup’s yearly check up.
10. Folding crate--this is optional, but several cheap options are available at stores like Walmart or Target. I prefer the type that fold up into a dinner plate shape.
IFAW and other animal rescue organizations are committed to helping wild and domestic
animals at risk from disasters, but you are your companion animal’s most important
lifeline. Be prepared!
Now that you have your emergency kit, what should you do with it?
Keep it next to your human emergency kit and if you are feeling very proactive, make a scaled down version for each car. You never know when you might need a crate or an extra leash or the first aid kit and when you update or exchange items out of your human emergency kit, be sure to check the content’s of your pet’s kit as well.
Before heading out of town be sure that you have contacted your veterinary hospital and notify your pet sitting company of the location of your pet emergency kit.
Happy preparing!
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