Pet Disaster kit: Why you need one, and how to make one
In this installment, we are going to talk a little about a disaster kit for your pets. You donât have to go all âDoomsday Prepperâ and spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a commercial disaster kit for your pet. Gathering a few simple items and putting them in a plastic tote will go a long way towards helping your pet survive a disaster or evacuation.
Why do I need a kit? I can grab what I need if we have to evacuate.
In the adrenaline filled rush to evacuate a home, chances are you are going to forget something. By putting a kit together now, you can be assured that, if the time comes that you need to leave your home in a hurry, your pets will have what they need.
So what do you need in your petâs kit?
First off, let me say that everything in your petâs disaster kit should be in addition to what you have for you and the rest of your family.
1. Food - You should have at least three days of food for each animal. Obviously, the amount will depend on the type and size of the animal. You know your petâs eating habits, so there is no need for some fancy, scientific formula. If you normally feed Fido a cup of dry kibble or a half of a can of wet food a day, thatâs what you go by(even though, in an emergency shelter situation, your pet may be too stressed to eat as much as he or she does at home). Since food has a shelf life, you want to make sure that it gets rotated out on a regular basis. One of the easiest ways Iâve found to accomplish this is to swap out the food in your kit every time you bring the pet food home from the store, using the food from the kit for the next few days first. This way, you know the food in the kit is fresh, and you donât waste any by having it go stale or rancid.
2. Water - Once again, this will depend on your animal. A good rule of thumb is an ounce of water for every pound of body weight per day. So a gallon of water would take care of a dog that weighs 42 lbs. for three days(42 ounces X 3 days = 126 ounces/1gallon = 128 ounces). A gallon milk jug will work just fine, although I recommend using one with a screw top as opposed to a push on top which could easily pop off and spill water in your kit if the sides of the jug are squeezed hard. It wouldnât hurt to throw a piece of duct tape over the lid, just to be sure.
3. Medication - If your pet requires any medication, keep three days worth in your kit. Swap it out the same as the food so it wonât expire.
4. Pet First Aid Kit - A simple first aid kit can be assembled and kept in a gallon zipper bag to protect the contents, which should include: gauze bandage rolls or vet wrap, gauze pads, first aid tape, scissors, antibiotic ointment, and saline solution(contact lens solution also works well). It is also a good idea to include a pet first aid book as well.
5. Extra collar with ID tags and leash - Your pet should always wear a collar with ID tags(we will get more in depth with ID tags, and identification in general, in a future article), but it is a good idea to keep a spare in their kit just in case. A strong leash, not too long, is also important, especially if you donât have a crate or carrier for them. And speaking of a crateâŠ
6. Crate or carrier - A crate or carrier is the best way to safely transport your pet to the emergency shelter. We will cover crates and transportation in a future article.
7. Documents - Your petâs medical records are vital. They show what vaccinations your pet has, what surgeries or illnesses theyâve had, and what veterinarian has treated them. Keep hard copies in a zipper bag in their kit. Include a picture showing you with your pet. Also, if you have a computer and the capability to scan documents, you can put all of this on a thumb drive(but keep the hard copies in the kit as well).
8. Litter/litter box - If cats are part of your family, be sure to include some litter and a litter box.
9. Familiar item - Familiar items can help reduce stress during a disaster situation. A toy or bedding that has been replaced due to wear is great to keep in their kit, instead of throwing it out. You can grab their new one if you remember. But, if not, theyâll at least have something familiar to comfort them.
OK, youâve gathered everything for their kit. Now what to put it in? Itâs a good idea to get everything together first, so you have an idea how big of a container you need. Plastic storage totes work really well. The have handles to make them easy to carry. And when you put the lid on, all of the contents are pretty well protected. The big box stores usually have a pretty good assortment of sizes at a reasonable price. Use some duct tape and a permanent marker to put your petâs name and your name, address and phone number on the lid(if the lid is not attached to the tote, put the same information on the side as well).
Iâve got my Petâs disaster kit. Now, what do I do with it?
You want to keep your petâs kit somewhere thatâs out of the way, but easily accessible in a hurry. The best place is a closet on the first floor of your home, preferably near to the door you normally use to exit the home. If you have a garage,and actually park your car there, that is a good spot as well. Wherever you decide to store your petâs kit, make sure it is easy to get to in a hurry. The kit is no good to your pet if it is tucked away in an attic or shoved in a basement, and you couldnât get to it to use it. Â Another important reason to keep it easily accessible is if youâre not home and you need to enlist the help of a neighbor or friend to get your pets out of your home. Being able to tell them that your petâs kit is, say, on the floor of the coat closet by the front door, will make it super simple for them to evacuate your pets for you.
So thatâs it. For a few bucks, and an hour or so of your time, you can rest assured, knowing that youâre ready to keep your pet safe in a disaster. Maybe you will never need it. BUT MAYBE YOU WILL.
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Jay Woodford is Coordinator for the Schuylkill County Animal Response Team, an all-volunteer organization in Schuylkill County, PA that provides emergency shelter and rescue to animals in times of disaster, both natural and man-made.
