HOW TO PREPARE FOR A LAST MINUTE EVACUATION WITH PETS


Image by Cat-Hi

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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