Pet emergencies can range from small issues we can handle at home to serious problems that require a fast trip to the nearest veterinary hospital. The entire range requires some preparation on our part as pet guardians.
It can be as simple as having a properly stocked animal first aid kit and a bit of know-how for a minor cut or tick removal, or as complex as knowing how to reach the nearest always-open veterinary hospital or emergency shelter. A little forethought and planning can greatly reduce the stress level when you need to help your furry family member.
First Aid
An easy-to-grab, thoughtfully stocked animal first aid kit can be one you purchase or one you create. You might start by reviewing options for sale online and decide whether to buy a ready-made kit or assemble one from supplies you already have.
We have a bright red toiletries bag that serves as a first aid kit, doggie medicine chest, and travel bag for our Poppy. We created this years ago for our first Westie, Sassy, and have refined it over the decades. It’s the first thing we grab in any emergency.
Emergency Shelters
Some municipalities, like Boston, can proudly declare on their emergency shelter page, “In an emergency, please refer to www.boston.gov or call BOS:311 (3-1-1 or 617-635-4500) for a list of open emergency shelters. Please note: City of Boston emergency shelters are pet-friendly.”
Check with your community to find the nearest place where you and your furry family members will be safe during an emergency evacuation. While large-scale disasters come to mind, it could also be a water leak or fire in your building.
Make Your Own Plan
You can also plan a safe place for you and your animals in an emergency. If a friend or relative can shelter you for a few days, that’s ideal. You should also have the phone numbers of a few pet-friendly hotels, both near your home and in the surrounding areas, where you can reserve a room until the immediate danger has passed and emergency management begins offering solutions for families with animals.
The MSPCA has a complete and helpful collection of disaster-planning resources on its website. Google the words “MSPCA Disaster Preparedness,” and you’ll find it. They break down what you need to do into three sections: “Preparedness Before the Disaster,” “Evacuation Essentials,” and “After the Disaster.”
For each topic, they provide a detailed list of tasks and tips to keep you and your animal safe, and to help you prepare to evacuate, shelter, and return home safely.
Home Alone
The state emergency preparedness page also suggests a buddy system to evacuate your pet if you are not home when an incident occurs. This brings up the third type of plan. What happens when your pets are home alone, and an emergency or something else prevents you from caring for them?
The most basic way to plan for this is to have a designated caregiver who can access your pets. We each have wallet cards with our identification that tell emergency responders that our dog Poppy is home alone and who to call to take care of her until we can do so.
Set a reminder to update your emergency plans at least once a year. We do this at the start of hurricane season when the media talks about tropical storms and hurricane updates.
