HOW TO PREPARE FOR A LAST MINUTE EVACUATION WITH PETS
It is Hurricane Matthew Eve here in South Florida. Even though my household is adequately prepared for the impending storm, there is always a chance for things to go very wrong. Roofs can fly off, hurricane impact windows can fail and the storm track itself can change.
The best way to handle such events is to have a plan in place. Should we need to evacuate close to storm time, I decided to be proactive and get things ready so moving our cats won’t resemble a scene from a horror movie. I hope these tips will help you, too:
THE CARRIERS
Cleaned and lined with pee pee pads and towels
THE CAR
Lined the backseat and floor with peepee pads
Filled small litter box and placed on floor of backseat
PET FOOD
Freeze-dried food stored in large, sealed plastic containers
Water in jugs
SUPPLEMENTS, MEDS, WIPES
All together, ready to put into bag, if necessary
Plenty of calming chews and Stress Stopper on hand to assist
In addition, all claws have been trimmed.
Of course, know where you are going. Simply piling into a car and driving away from the storm is not a plan. Do not assume hotel rooms will be available or that all chains accept pets. If you are headed to a pet friendly shelter, make sure you know what the criteria are – some require proof of vaccination, some separate pets from people. If you are planning on staying with a friend or family member, make sure they know your pets are with you. Not everyone thinks the way you do.
As always, prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
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