Most people have pets. Some people have food storage. But how many have included pet needs in that food storage?
I don’t know about you, but my family’s little Corgi dog is like a two year old. She looks to us to care for her in every way. It is up to us to provide for her, including her daily necessities such as food, water, comfort and shelter. She needs us to walk her, brush her, and protect her from ticks, fleas, and other pests.
Some dogs may be quite self-sustaining, but our little doggie is not one of them. She is in some regards a rescued dog and manifests timid behavior in many ways. She fills our hearts with love. She also fills my mind with worry if tragedy ever struck our area.
One only needed to see the lost and forsaken animals during the Katrina tragedy to understand this perspective. Some of those animals which were left behind were attacked by other animals. Some cruel humans tortured left-behind pets. It truly was a savage world for a while.
My husband and I both agree. If we had to evacuate, we could not leave our little doggie behind. But this then implies that within our emergency preparedness planning sessions, we must address having this extra little companion with us. What does this mean? What must we add to our storage for her?
Topics such as a year’s supply of flea and tick repellant have come up. We’ve also discussed topics such as a year’s supply of food for our dear little pet. Then there is the issue of how to purify water – not just for us, but for her.
For some, all this planning seems unnecessary. But for those who have pets, the comfort these animals extend to us also brings necessary responsibilities in caring for them.
Thus, if you are a pet owner, you may want to set aside time this week to discuss your pets’ needs during the time of an emergency. Obviously if there were a house fire, you would focus on getting the kids out first. But if you had time to evacuate in an orderly fashion, not only would you need items to sustain your family, but also those things that your pet needs.
Is your pet on medication of any kind? If so that is an additional topic of discussion that would best be taken up with your vet.
Yes, preparedness is not just a one time event. It is a lifestyle. And includes them. Then while they comfort us during tragedy, we comfort them with life-sustaining needs.
