In the event of an immediate disaster, would you be ready to drop everything—including your pet—and go?
Pet parents in the U.S. weighed in on the matter in a recent survey, conducted by PetSmart Charities. In time for National Pet Preparedness Month (June), when hurricane and wildfires seasons across the country start, the nonprofit organization asked owners about emergency and evacuation preparedness and the ways in which pets factor into their plans.
While the majority of those surveyed say they are prepared to evacuate their homes with their pets in case of an immediate disaster, 76 percent of respondents added they would stay at home if an evacuation order meant they were unable to bring their pet with them.
Additionally:
● 80 percent would give up their spot in an emergency shelter if they are not able to bring pets with them.
● 86 percent say the emotional support of their pet would be essential to them making it through a disaster.
● 63 percent expressed doubts about whether nearby pet-friendly shelters would be available to them in case of emergency.
The primary goal of the survey, PetSmart Charities reports, is to remind pet owners to develop an emergency plan for the whole family—including pets. Namely, knowing what to do to when evacuating with pets and where owners can go to stay together should be top of mind.
Steps include:
● Keep a “go bag” handy: Keep a pet carrier, harness, or leash ready to go at a moment’s notice and have a recent photo of pets on hand.
● Update information: Make sure pets are wearing a collar or tags, and that microchip information is updated.
● Take care: Ensure pets are up to date on all vaccinations and carry a list of medications the pet needs and their veterinarian’s contact information.
● Know where to go: Make a list of pet-friendly sheltering options nearby.
To enhance efforts in keeping pets and their people together amidst a crisis, PetSmart Charities partnered with the American Red Cross last year to enhance support efforts in treating pets as essential family members during times of disaster.
The partnership includes the integration of pet tracking into RC Care, the Red Cross client management system, allowing Red Cross staff and volunteers to provide services to all family members in disaster situations, as well as the creation of pet-centric training and sheltering models with the Red Cross and its partners for its disaster response staff and volunteers.
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Plus, download a handy guide for your clients in case of emergency. Check out the “Go Bag” Infographics on VPN Plus+.