Pet Preparedness

At Morris Animal Inn, we believe that preparing for unpleasant situations can result in much more positive outcomes, so add pet preparedness to your to-do list for spring cleaning this year. Here are some tips to ensure the safety of the furriest members of your family no matter what comes your way.

A Home Away from Home

Before disaster strikes, have a game plan. Figure out ahead of time where you and your family can go with pets in tow. Have a list of potential places where your pet is welcome to stay, such as Morris Animal Inn or if necessary, the homes of friends and family who live outside the area. Be sure to ask ahead how last-minute reservations or drop-ins will be handled so there are no surprises.

Even if you're faced with a routine power outage, you can count on Morris Animal Inn to keep your pet comfortable with our back-up generators!

Stock up on Supplies

Once you have devised a back-up lodging plan, its important to have the necessary provisions and tools ready to go so you can get going quickly. Create and store your own Pet Emergency Kit containing Fluffy and Fido's essentials for up to two weeks:

http://www.dogtipper.com

• Ample supply of dry and wet food in air tight containers. (Switch the food out every month or so to make sure it doesn't spoil.)
• An extra leash, collar, and stash of poop bags 
• A small water and food bowl
• Medicines (Again, switch it out every month to ensure it doesn't go bad.)
• A box of kitty litter and an aluminum tray
• A handful of extra toys 
• A carrier for each of your pets padded with an extra bed, towels, or a soft blanket that smells of home
• Bottled water
• A basic first aid kit
• Vet records (Store in the same safe secure place that you keep important family documents like passports.)

Keep these necessities in a spot that’s high off the ground and close to a door or in the garage so they’re readily accessible when you need them.

magicmonkey via flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/magickevin/

Identification Safeguards

It is important to keep identification on your pets at all time, and your options go beyond an ID tag on the collar. Microchipping is a simple procedure performed by your vet that’s similar to receiving a shot. The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is implanted under your pet’s skin between the shoulders. You might also consider tying a small bell to your pet’s collar to make it easier to find Fluffy or Fido when time is of the essence. Additionally, placing a pet fire safety decal in the window of the room your pets favor will alert rescuers of their presence in an unfavorable situation. If you’d like a free fire rescue sticker for your pet, please just stop by the front desk and mention you read this week’s post!

For detailed information and additional tips for preparing your pet for a disaster, take a look at this video from Ready.gov:

Though it is difficult to imagine how we would handle an emergency situation, taking the time to create a smart and safe back-up plan will always pay off with the protection of your beloved pet.

What other preventative measures have you devised to ensure your pets’ safety?

Sources: http://dogs.about.com/od/toyssupplies/a/microchipping.htm

Catster.com http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kitten-blog/five-tips-that-will-save-your-cats-life-in-a-disaster/2011/04/02/