Pet Talk: Think of your pets before disaster strikes

Weather-related disasters have increased in frequency and severity across the U.S. over the past five years, and when communities are impacted by things such as flooding, severe storms, hurricanes, wildfires, or earthquakes, the chaos can become overwhelming — especially when you have a furry companion looking to you for reassurance and support. 
Have a plan
Disasters can vary depending on where you live. 
In these situations, the main priority is ensuring the safety of yourself, your loved ones, and your pets — a responsibility that comes easier when you already have a plan set in place.
“Having a plan helps focus your mind when things get really chaotic,” said Dr. Deb Zoran, a professor and director of the Veterinary Emergency Team at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, “Disasters cause panic in many people, but if you have already thought about what all you need to do, it helps you regather yourself and focus on activating the plan.”
The amount of time owners have to react to a disaster depends on how early the alarm is sounded. 
“With hurricanes, for example, you’ll usually know it’s coming so you can plan ahead of time and evacuate your family out of harm’s way,” Zoran said. “Other evacuations may have to happen at a moment’s notice because of what we call a ‘no-notice’ event, like a house fire. You need to gather up your animals and things quickly and get out, and if that hasn’t been pre-staged and planned for, it could become harmful very quickly.”
An important first step in planning is determining a location you could evacuate to if your house were to become uninhabitable.
“Figure out who you could stay with ahead of time and make sure it’s OK with them for you to bring your pets,” Zoran said. “If you don’t have friends or family in the area, identify a hotel that’s pet friendly.”
Zoran recommends having at least two backup evacuation options in case your first option is inaccessible.
Emergency kit
Whether you call it a “go-bag” or a “bug-out-bag,” having an animal disaster kit, box, or backpack is integral in case of emergency.
Essentials for an emergency kit include:
•Food and water for at least three days 
•Tools for containing and transporting the pet, such as an extra carrier or a leash
•Items for comfort, such as familiar toys, a favorite bed, or even a larger carrier to provide more room
•Any necessary medications
•Medical, vaccination and microchip records
“You have to plan according to the animal you have,” Zoran said. “If you don’t catch a cat early in the process, it’s going to run and hide. The same can also happen for dogs, particularly if they are outsid.
"Many people think their dogs will wait for them, but in a fight or flight situation they will definitely flee. On the other hand, if you have little rodents in a cage, it’s a simpler process; you just need to grab their things and their cage, put them in the car, and go.”
Making sure pets are microchipped is a good way to ensure that even if they do escape during the chaos, they will be more likely to find their way back home.
Resources
Digital resources are plentiful for pet owners interested in learning more about creating a step-by-step disaster plan, assembling an emergency pet kit, and more.
In particular, Zoran recommends The American Veterinary Medical Association, American Red Cross and Texas A&M’s VET websites. 
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to vmbs-editor@tamu.edu.