Storm Preparedness for your Pets

Living in Oklahoma, we face the threat of tornadoes and heavy storms every Spring and Summer. During a recent tornado event, my dogs along with some furry guests and I were piled into my interior bathroom. The event made me think about how prepared I really was if we did actually have a tornado. I had the dogs as safe as I could get them, but was not prepared for anything after-the-fact if a tornado hit my home. Plus, my poor cats were left to fend for themselves in the house.

As the storm season ramps up, it is good to consider your own preparedness for your pets.

Before a Storm:

Build an emergency kit:

• Food and water and bowls, might include a small bag of treats

• Medications and a Pet First Aid Kit, you can build your own first aid kit or order one from Amazon or Chewy.

• A photo of you and your pets. On the back list your veterinarian's contact information and ID tag or microchip information. Include a copy of vaccinations records of your pets. Make sure all identifications are current.

• Blankets

• *Carrier, leashes and harnesses - include identification on carriers

• For Cats, a small litter box and some litter

• Might be a good idea to keep a phone charger in your emergency kit. Even better to keep a portable phone charger handy, like this charger from Amazon.

* Something I learned during the most recent event is to have the leashes readily available to you. If you do not have a full emergency kit, this is probably the most important thing to keep in your shelter or safe place.

Have an Evacuation Plan:

• Know which hotels accept pets

• Have friends or relatives outside the area that might be willing to house you and your pets, if needed.

• Run a drill

*If you know a storm is looming, bring outdoor pets inside, especially cats. They will hide if they know a storm is coming. Oftentimes, pets can sense that a storm is coming before we do.

During a Storm:

• Bring pets into a storm shelter or find an interior room away from windows. Put as many walls between you and the outdoors.

• Have means to get storm updates, either turn the volume up on your TV, bring a radio in your safe place, or have an app or news on your phone.

• Try to keep as calm as you can. Pets will feed of your response. They may still be anxious, but knowing you're calm will help and vice versa.

After the Storm:

• Be aware of the surroundings and watch for any debris that might be hazardous.

• Check your pets over for any injury and notify a veterinarian as soon as possible if you find anything.

• Expect behavior changes in your pet as they process the stress of the event.

• Resume your pets' routine as soon as you can to help relieve their stress.

Our pets rely on us to keep them safe during events like this. It's so easy to INTEND to get prepared and let life go on before an event actually occurs and WISH you had been prepared. I get it...I'm right there with you. The most recent event has encouraged me to be "more ready." I've taken a few steps to be more prepared for my pets' sake and mine.