May 9 is National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day, a great day to check on and freshen up your pet’s emergency kit.
Don’t have an emergency kit for your pets? Here’s how to make one.
Include a 3-day supply of everything your pet will need. Even if you don’t have to evacuate in the case of a disaster, you may not have power or water.
Make sure the kit is “grab-and-go” just in case there is an evacuation order. Put a note on the outside to remind you to grab anything you don’t have a back-up supply of, such as current medications.
Some things you should include, if applicable:
- 3-day supply of food
- 3-day supply of water
- Bowls
- Manual can opener
- Pet carrier
- Leash, harness and/or muzzle
- Blankets and towels
- Plastic bags, gloves, hand sanitizer
- Litter pan, litter, and scoop, or a supply of puppy-pads that you can line the carrier with
- Veterinarian’s contact information and copies of vaccination certificates
- Any medications your pet is taking
- A recent photo of your pet along with a description and your contact information, in case you are separated
- Microchip number
- Information on your pet’s feeding schedule, temperament and health, in case you need to leave him or her at a boarding facility
- List of boarding facilities and hotels that will accommodate pets
Remember to check the contents of the kit every six months to make sure the supplies are fresh and up to date.
We all hope that we’ll never need our disaster kits, but being prepared is so important – so don’t forget your pets!
To make sure you’re ready in case of a disaster, visit www.ready.gov.