News
Being Ready, Just in Case…..
June 09, 2009, 5:52PM MT
By Patty Meehan
Preparing for Hurricane Season, for You and Your Companion Animals
Preparing for Hurricane Season, for You and Your Companion Animals
By Patty Meehan, Best Friends Network Volunteer
Yep, it’s that time of year again….. hot days, sultry nights, kids home from school, and hurricane preparation notices everywhere. It’s hurricane season, and that means making sure all your ducks are in the proverbial row (and your dogs, and your cats, and your horses….. ).
Being prepared for a hurricane means being ready for several courses of action, including being ready to leave, as well as being ready to stay. Hurricanes don’t always mandate evacuation. Staying home during a storm or returning home after evacuating, and dealing with the aftermath of the storm can be very challenging. No electricity, limited communication, and poor road conditions are just some of the things to be dealt with, following a storm. It is important to be prepared to get through the storm safely and to manage day-to-day life after a storm, keeping all your family members in mind. This takes just as much preparation as having a good evacuation plan.
Basic hurricane preparation includes stocking up on supplies, such as batteries, water, food (non-perishable). It is also important to check the things that you’ve not used since last year, such as the generator, flashlights, and area fans. Remember to keep your companion animals in mind all the while, during your preparation of your home for the possible challenges following a storm. Stock up on their foods, have extra water for them, have any medications in good supply, and be prepared with leashes for walking, should fences be blown down.
There are many terrific resources available to help everyone get ready, including those of us with companion animals. Here is a list of what I found to be the most helpful and informative sites and resources of information.
A special note to those who are interested and able to volunteer before, during, or after a storm: LSART (Louisiana State Animal Response Team) has a link specifically for Volunteers. The LSART site also has lots of very helpful information for Animal Owners, including horse owners and dog and cat owners.
Good Resources of Information:
LSART
ASPCA Disaster Preparedness
LSUSVM Hurricane Information for Animal Owners, very comprehensive list of links to a variety of information, including locations of emergency animal shelters
One Storm, Planning for Pets, an excellent resource, with a terrific amount of information for animals of all kinds
Pet Emergency Supply Kit
Humane Society of Louisiana Hurricane Preparedness Guidelines
Pets Welcome.com for finding pet-friendly hotels in case of evacuation
Louisiana Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness, “Planning For Pets A Priority This Hurricane Season”, the nuts and bolts of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act of 2006, including what you must have, to be able to transport your pets on federal evacuation vehicles
Let’s all hope for a calm and quiet season…..
photo by Patty M, boarding up before Gustav