Vet School 101 Hurricane pet safety: My five-point plan for a safe evac or ride-out

Here’s my five-point plan for pet safety during all evacuation-worthy storms, whether you choose to stay behind or head to higher ground. Make sure you check all these bullet points for anything might have missed (I know you guys are pros but you might not have thought of some of the little things):

1-Identification:

In the event that you and your pet are inadvertently separated, all pets should have a secure collar with a tag that includes your name and emergency contact numbers. Tags must include information that allows a pet to be reunited with you should local mayhem ensue after a storm.

Out of town emergency contacts (on the tag) are imperative! Remember, even tagged pets were euthanized after Katrina when owners could not be located using local tag information. So add another tag if you have to.

Microchips are essential, too. This backup method helps ensure that pets with incomplete tags or lost collars find their way back to you. Use the microchip your area supports (regardless of your political feelings on the microchip thing)\.

2-Travel:

If you plan to evacuate you must take your pet. Anything less is unsafe, inhumane and potentially punishable by law.

Make hotel plans in advance by keeping handy a list of animal friendly hotels in the area you choose to evacuate to.

If a relative’s home is your destination, make sure family members understand that your pets will be coming, too.

Think about your car and the space it needs to carry your whole family. Do you need two cars? A new car? A friend?

Consider boarding your pet at your destination. Download a list of these places, too, so you can call ahead while driving or flying away.

3-Local Housing:

Shelters will accommodate pets in a separate, animal friendly space. Make sure you know where they are and what their requirements are before the advisories. Check out your local hurricane center for a list of shelters and their stipulations.

Your vet and local kennels are seldom a safe option. After all, they’re in the path, too. Unless they have hurricane shelter infrastructure and storm staffing, you’re way better off keeping pets with you.

4-Crating:

Whether you hunker down at home or evacuate, you’ll need a crate. This ensures that your indoors remain controlled and your pets protected should Katrina-like conditions ensue.

Crates are usually required before hotels and shelters will accept your pets—that means one crate for each pet.

Train your pet to use a crate –it’s a soothing retreat for pets already acclimated to its homey charms.

Crates need accessories to make them easy to cart along if need be. Get a handy luggage dolly and plenty of bungee cords to strap crates together, if necessary.

5-Supplies:

If you stay, you’ll want water for your pets, too. If you don’t want them to suffer all the ills you’ll avoid by drinking bottled water in the days after a big storm then stockpile extra water.

Make sure you have food and medications to last a minimum of two weeks.

If your pet suffers thunderstorm anxiety, imagine what a hurricane will do. Some pets are often best sedated, but consider that a hurricane is no time to be trying out a new drug regimen. Ask your vet for tips on sedative safety first—and always attempt a dry run of any new drug or drug combination.

This was my five-point plan but I’m sure you guys have extra tips. Bring ‘em on…

July 21st, 2007

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how about

It's not over 'til it's over. Remember Hurricane Andrew was supposed to be "done". Then it hit the Gulf Stream, picked up energy, and destroyed Homestead, FL. Hurricane Floyd was barely alive after days of menacing Jacksonville and the Sea Islands. On its slow way up the Atlantic coast, it stalled. Its associated rainfall swamped eastern NC, killing 57 people and causing billions of dollars worth of flood damage that extended inland more than 100 miles from the coast and left thousands temporarily or permanently homeless.

Thing One July 21st, 2007 12:54:00 PM

For evacs in hot places (from Rita evac experience):

Try to leave in the evening in the hopes of getting past stand still traffic by time it gets hot the next morning! We left at sun-up, and we were still standing still on the freeways in Houston by the time the temps got up to the 100s (we live on the south side, so more travel through town just to get out).

I spent most of the trip cooling pets in the truck with us, and the poor things in the bed of the truck too (actually they were better off when we were moving, but that didn't happen for very long till we got quite a distance away).

We were finally out of the city limits (still in stop and go traffic), when we saw a girl on the side of the freeway, holding a very long water hose. She would spray pets in backs of trucks, or in trailers for anyone that asked. I had already sprayed mine with the plastic sprayer, and she was pretty busy with some horse trailers, so we didn't honk/wave at her -- she looked pretty busy at the time 8^)

After we returned, our neighbors told us they almost lost their dog because their dad put her in the back of the camper. They said all the windows were opened, but not enough breeze was getting in during stand still traffic. The dog knew the rest of her family was in the car behind him, so she was looking out the back window at them. When she stopped doing that, they called their father on their cell, and insisted they pull over. They had to do some pretty intensive heat resuscitation stuff on her by then.

The power guys came around to restore power, I was telling them about the neighbors dog, and what all we had to do with our pets to keep them from suffering heat stroke. The power guys said they'd heard about many people losing their pets in the evacuation 8^(

Here's a few things I'll add to your list (some are for hot places, others are for everyone):

A few battery operated fans when sitting still on hot freeways, and the AC has to be turned off so your vehicle doesn't overheat.

Spray bottles and hand fans were helpful in cooling our pets during stand stills or stops. Lift their fur by stroking it backwards and spray, then fan.

My dog show friend recommended mylar over their crates/cages to deflect the sun (there wasn't enough room in the truck for all our pets, so we rotated them from the passenger part to the bed of the truck [next to the ice cooler] -- I should have put them up a few inches off the floor of the truck bed for a bit of breeze too).

Kitty litter and a litter box for the cats for when you get to where you're going to stay.

Leash to walk the dogs with.

Sherri July 21st, 2007 03:19:00 PM

Fasten the carriers down with seatbelts, bungee cords, rope or what ever it takes. After a near miss on the way to a cat show, no carrier goes in the car without being fasten down. The cats ride much better, as well. The mylar works, as does the reflective windshield cover, tented loosely over the carrier. With cats, especially, take the water they are used to drinking. Tummy upsets from different water just adds more stress for everyone. In hotels or motels, if you do let cats out while you're in the room, if you go out, either put them back in the carriers or in the bathroom, a housekeeper or maintenance person entering the room while you're out could easily allow them to escape. Cats will often try (and succeed) at getting up in the box springs in hotel beds. Carry some old fitted sheets that you can put on the bottom of the box spring.

Moira July 21st, 2007 04:45:00 PM

Prepare a first aid kit and add a picture of yourself with your pet and carry one in your wallet and one in your first aid kit.
Crates: since we loose power during and after the storm attach a battery operated crate fan, which attache itself directly to the crate!

Shana Carranco July 21st, 2007 05:48:00 PM

Shelters in the New Orleans area WILL NOT accept pets.

There had been some discussion of making this mandatory, but at least for now, the City Of New Orleans explicitly states on its website that animals will not be allowed in shelters. Even if they were to accept animals, you don't want your pets there except as a very last resort.

Many horrific things happened here around the time of hurricane Katrina, but what happened in some school still turns my stomach. Dozens of dogs and cats were left with food and water in St. Bernard Parish schools (which were serving as temporary shelters) by their owners. The St. Bernard Sheriff's officers told them they had to leave their pets, but that they would be cared for. After the owners were evacuated from the area, the officers (allegedly) shot and killed them all with pistols and shotguns. By the looks of the necropsies, this was not humane euthanasia, but target practice, and the pets likely died slowly and painfully. Sheriff's officers also (allegedly) shot a number of free roaming dogs in the area even as organizations tried to help them.

Sorry to give such a graphic example, but I would hate for anyone in Louisiana to make such a mistake again. We are likely no better prepared now that we were two years ago.

abc July 21st, 2007 09:15:00 PM

I just came back from shopping (well...I was at a dog show and it is hard not to check out the latest greatest stuff for dogs and their owners). One item, that I wish I had purchased now that I've read this article, is a cooling cape for dogs. It is some kind of miracle fabric that when wet becomes very cool. When dry they had the texture of well-used and dried up chamois but when wet were very supple and very very cool. The price was a bit off-putting - I think for the size of my dogs (2 plus any fosters in residence) the price per each was $50 or more. We're in Houston, we evacuated with three dogs and one cat for Rita - it was hot and I really worried about the dogs. I poured bottles of water over them and rubbed it in. The idea of battery operated fans is a good one and I'm going to pick up a few.

Ellana Livermore July 21st, 2007 09:18:00 PM

I'm going to be terribly rude and off-topic and ask when the final chapter of the microchip series is going to be posted?! I need to order chips for my shelter, but I've held off while waiting for your wrap-up because I've found the information very helpful. So, here's just my little fan-girl nudge for more microchip gossip!

Leigh-Ann July 22nd, 2007 07:43:00 AM

Particularly when you are dealing with heat - you need to buy time to get out of the mess.

One idea is to use cold wraps. The flexible ones that are generally used for human injuries can be laid in a crate or hung on the side of the crate so that the animal can lean/lay on it and get some relief. They don't stay cold indefinitely, but they could buy you a couple extra safe hours.

Also - a recommend taking a cooler with ice. As it melts you can use to wet down your animals or give them some to drink.

2CatMom July 23rd, 2007 02:16:00 PM

Andrew, Katrina, Rita, Wilma, yes even Floyd up in North Carolina. I had them all pass over my head. Am I a hurricane magnet?????

Marc July 24th, 2007 05:08:00 PM

Marc - I know the feeling - I seem to be a magnet for floods. Went to Spain - got caught in the worst flooding in Southern Spain "in thirty years." Canyoneering in Utah - got caught in the worst flood in the area "in twenty five year." Ok, I did have good weather in England and Costa Rica!

2CatMom July 25th, 2007 09:50:00 AM

Leigh-Ann: I'm gearing up for the fourth installment. I'm waiting for an interview with an "independent pet identification researcher" a Bayer rep set up for me next week. I was also waiting for the AVMA to convene its annual meeting where they held a microchip panel (sadly, I could not attend). You'll get the post next week--I promise!

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