Dear Kelsey,
My husband and I were discussing what our family would do in case of an emergency. What are the things I should have ready for our pets?
— Marla from Madera
Dear Marla,
Your question brings up an excellent point about being prepared before an emergency occurs. Whether it is a natural disaster like an earthquake or severe flooding, or a manmade one like a hazardous chemical spill from an overturned truck, we all need to have an emergency plan in place before the event occurs. If at all possible, you should take your pets with you. Keeping our entire family safe, even the furry and feathered members, is our greatest concern.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has excellent resources on its website which go into great detail regarding transport, evacuation, and care of displaced pets in the event of a disaster. You can visit www.AVMA.org/disaster for more information. But even a basic pet evacuation kit is far better than nothing...