We are partnering with ReadyOC on this post. All opinions are our own.
Growing up in California we always knew that we had to prepare for natural disasters. I remember earthquakes and wildfires in which we evacuated from home, so I know how important it is to prepare for the unexpected.
I joke with my girlfriends that we’ve accumulated quite the little farm at our house. Our dog , Marley, a hamster, our turtle, Shelly, and of course our cat, June. They have all made their way into our home and hearts.
Our pets are an important part of our family and I know that we also have to prepare them for emergencies.
5 Easy Ways to Prepare Your Pet for a Natural Disaster
- Prepare Ahead With An Emergency Kit – We used ReadyOC’s Pet Emergency Checklist to ensure we had everything for each of our pets. We have at least 3 days of food and water packed away for an emergency. Also included are extra items like toys, important documents, and a fist aid kit for our pets. Keeping it stored away in something like a bucket can help to keep it ready but also provide a useful tool during an emergency. Buckets are very useful for a list of reasons like carry supplies, collecting water, or keeping things safe and dry.
- Get Your Pet Microchipped – It’s very important that your pet not only have their ID tag on but as well as something more permanent like a microchip. We personally like the added security of microchipping because no matter what, he can’t lose it and it is painless. Knowing our pets are microchipped gives us an added sense of security. In the past we lost our dog for a couple of days and were reunited because the people who found him had him scanned for an ID chip. In an emergency or if your pet gets lost, it’s smart to chip. Also, make sure you keep copies of all pet documents and make sure you update your address and phone number as needed.
- Know Before You Go – Many shelters and hotels will not accept pets, so do research and make a list of pet-friendly places to evacuate to. Also keeping fluffy and fido’s papers ready in a preparedness kit is important as some places for shelter may require evidence of shots or vaccines as needed.
- Buddy Up – Natural disasters can arise when you are not home. Buddy up with neighbors to check on pets and meetup in case of an evacuation. Working together can help everyone keep our pets safe! Register for AlertOC to be notified if your home is in danger, even if you’re out of town.
- Practice Makes Perfect – Practice your evacuation plan and what you would do as a family in case of an emergency or natural disaster. We assigned each kiddos an emergency kit to grab on the way out the door, if it’s safe enough to grab we will make sure we have prepared a kit for each pet. Having a designated meeting spit is also essential to know where to meet up in case of a natural disaster.
Preparing together as a family allows everyone to come together and know what to do in case of an emergency. Kids need to know what to do and it’s also comforting to get to practice with our pets.
Signing up for AlertOC helps me have even more peace of mind. AlertOC sends notifications to those who have signed up across all 34 cities for all hazards and disasters via phone and email. Which means you will get emergency alerts right to your phone from your work in Irvine to Grandma’s house in Brea. You can easily sign up for free emergency alerts at AlertOC.org.
Do you have a disaster plan for your pets in place?
These tips are so important during natural disasters. I’ll bookmark this and share this to my friends. Thanks for collating it. It will be very useful.
We recently had a tornado warning in my area. I have a room specifically for all my animals in the case of one hitting us. Always be prepared!
This is really helpful!! Sharing this with my friends!
Wow….I had never thought of disasters in the light of pets and animals before. I can actually try utilising the Alert OC facility. Is it available for customers outside the United States borders?
Great tips! We always should be prepared for a disaster! Practicing helps a lot!
Oh my gosh, I hadn’t even considered our doggies should we face a natural disaster. Bad pet mommy right here. Fellow Californian here where we have been having power outage and the dogs should definitely be taken care of.
This is a great idea. I used to be pretty prepared in case of tornado, but now my cats and dog would be out of luck now.
This is good to be prepared with your pets in mind. That way you can know where the pets will be safe
I think this is such a wonderful idea. A lot of amazing tips here. It’s important to prepare your pets too.
This is the first year we’ve had a pet and I never even thought about this! I’m going to make sure we are totally prepared.
This is so smart and I love my pets and have never thought to have a plan like this. I hope I never have to use it but it is important to be prepared.
I never really thought much about this. I suppose I should since I do have a small dog.
Oh wow, these are definitely good things for me to consider. Hurricanes are a big issue for us where we live.
It’s always so sad to hear of a pet who is forgotten or left behind during a natural disaster. Your tips are so important to keep in mind!
It is always a great idea to be prepared in an emergency, especially when having pets. This pet emergency checklist will help people in high-risk areas a lot.
It’s so important to make sure you have a plan for every member of your family…even your furry ones. We just recently moved and this made me realize I need to update my emergency prep plan!
I love these tips! it’s so important to remember that we’re not the only ones who’ll need food, water, and other necessities in case of a disaster. We have to remember our furry friends.