Reflecting back upon the tragedy of hurricane Katrina there are many lessons that can be derived from its impact.  As pet owners, one lesson we can all learn is to have an emergency plan in place for our pets (not to mention ourselves.)

I would suggest that the plan start with several pet stickers displayed on the inside of windows near your main entry doors.  It should indicate the type and number of pets and the name and telephone number of your veterinarian.  This information can be very helpful to firemen and other rescue workers.  You can order them for free from the ASPCA’s website or make them yourself.

Locate a place to take your pets in the event of an evacuation.  Do not leave your pets behind.  As we have seen from the news lately, the Red Cross and certain other shelters will not accept pets.  Locate hotels and motels outside of your area that accept pets.  Contact a friend or relative out of your area about keeping your pets or perhaps vets or boarding kennels in the town where the friend or relative lives.

Keep an emergency travel kit ready for the pets.  It should include their normal food, bowls, leashes, water, copies of current medical records for the animals, any special medicines they are on for an extended period of time, litter and litter pans for cats, pet carriers, blankets, a flashlight and photos of the pets in case they get lost.  Be sure to rotate the food, water and medications periodically so they remain fresh.

Make arrangements with a friend, neighbor or relative in the area to have a key to your home, alarm code information if applicable and access to the pets in the event the catastrophe strikes when you are at work or far from home.  The person should be someone who is generally at home during the hours that you are at work.  They should also know where the emergency travel kit is located in your home.

Be sure the pets are well identified with several tags, preferably a collar that also has the pet’s name and telephone number embroidered into it and even a microchip.  If they are on special medications, I would recommend a tag indicating the medicine and dosing instructions.

Most of the information I have provided in this article has come from the  ASPCA website. I strongly recommend that you visit this site and review their information about emergency preparedness.