In case of emergency – do not abandon your small animals such as dogs, cats, pocket pets, etc.

With the multitudes of natural disasters, and upheavals of human making, that have plagued the planet over the last few years we have all witnessed the heart-wrenching stories of animals left behind to fend for themselves. Sitting here in a heated house I cannot imagine any scenario that would cause me to leave my animals behind but perhaps this is a naïve outlook. Making the hard choice to abandon your home should not put your animals at risk and with a little forethought, in most instances; one can avoid such a devastating decision.

First and foremost is vacating your property with the earliest of warnings. This should give you and your animals ample time to make alternative arrangements. Even if this means leaving your critters at a shelter that is out of harm’s way – of course to be picked up at a later date. Most shelters, given the prediction of a natural disaster will take your animal in before rather than having to deal with lost and abandoned pets in the aftermath of the event. If you do find that the shelter has reached capacity the earlier you know this the better.

If you plan to stay at a hotel/motel many of these places will allow you to bring your pet when faced with dire circumstances. If they are reluctant offer to leave a deposit and above all make sure that you are a courteous guest and clean up after your pet – do not consider this part of the staff’s job.

If you have family that you will be staying with they should be willing to accept your pets along with you – after all pets are a part of the family. If they do not share your passion for animals they may require that you keep your pets differently than you do at home – allow some discrepancies and be happy that you have them with you.

If you live in an area where natural disasters are likely it would be best to have the following items on hand:

Travel carrier and stored inside - water, bowls and plenty of food, leashes, collars, harness, first aid kit, blankets, baggies for clean up and any medications that your pets may need to take on a daily basis – replace this annually so that you know that they are not expired. Place this next to your own emergency bag, which should contain many of the same items for you and your children.

If you do find yourself in peril many emergency crews will happily take your animals with you. Small dogs can be carried (but a leash will help you not lose them), big dogs can be removed just as you will be with a harness and assistance and cats and pockets pets safely confined in a carrier or cage offer little problems with extraction. If the crew refuses to take your animals then I offer you the best of luck with your decision. If the decision is to leave them behind please do so with their freedom in tact – release them from their cage, carrier, leash etc and with some amazing luck you may be re-united.

Houses are can be rebuilt – animals cannot. Plan ahead, leave early and keep your loved ones close – no matter if they have two, four, six or no legs.