When a disaster suddenly strikes it can be frightening for everyone, including your pet. The best thing you can do for you and your pet’s safety is to be prepared, develop a plan for emergencies, and have it ready before the disaster strikes. Planning ahead is the key to keeping yourself and your pet safe before, during and after a disaster.
“Before a disaster, it is important to insure that all your animals are identified within a system that will allow you two to be reunited if separated,” Wesley Bissett, assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences said. “Identification can come in a variety of ways, such as collars or microchips. Collars may be less expensive but they are much easier to lose, whereas microchips may be more expensive but provide the advantage of being permanently within the animal. You should also try to keep a photo of you and your pet together to verify ownership.”
When preparing for a disaster, it is imperative that all of your pet’s vaccinations are current. “If you do not typically have your dog vaccinated for Bordetella, or kennel cough, consider doing so as storm season approaches,” Bissett said. “This is disease prevention in case your pet is checked into an animal shelter.”
