Pet Preparedness Month

June is Pet Preparedness Month. (It’s also National Accordion Awareness Month and National Iced Tea Month. However, pets are more in our wheelhouse, so we’ll stick to that.) It’s very important to have emergency plans and preparations in place for emergencies, such as floods, tornados, hurricanes, or fires. Your pet is part of the family too, so be sure to include them in your planning. In this article from Fairfield Animal Hospital, your Cy-Fair animal hospital, a veterinarian discusses pet preparedness.

ID

Make sure that your pet is microchipped and wearing proper ID tags. If you get separated from your furry friend, these things may be the only ties linking you together.

Emergency Kit

If your pet doesn’t have an emergency kit, we recommend getting one ready. The kit should include a week’s worth of food, water, treats, and medicine; water; collapsible dishes; bedding; towels; a pet first-aid kit and brochures; and copies of your pet’s paperwork. Dogs will also need a leash, collar, tie-out line, and waste baggies, while kitties should have a litterbox and litter. You may also want to include pet-calming products. Keep these things in or near your pet’s carrier, so they’re easy to grab. 

Supplies

As a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to have at least a few weeks’ worth of canned goods for emergencies. This also includes pet food! Stock up on kibble, canned food, waste baggies, litter, and treats.

Preventative Care

Keep up with your furry buddy’s vaccinations, registration, and parasite control. Many shelters require proof of this before allowing pets. In addition to keeping copies with the emergency kit mentioned above, you may want to put some in the glove box of your car, so you always have them.

Planning

It’s always a good idea to have an emergency plan in place, in case you ever need to evacuate. Make sure your pet is included in your plans! Another thing you may want to do is print out a list of pet-friendly hotels and shelters within about a 2 or 3 hour drive.

Window Stickers

Firemen usually try to save pets when they can. Getting some pet-specific window fire stickers will only take a few moments, but it may save your beloved pet’s life.

Here at Fairfield Animal Hospital, your local Cy-Fair animal hospital, we are dedicated to offering great veterinary care. Contact us anytime!