Animal advocates: Have plan before trouble hits
‘When a disaster happens is not the time to start trying to figure out what you are going to do with your pets’
For most who have them, pets are members of the family. They give comfort, companionship and entertainment, and in return, owners are responsible for their well-being and safety.
For those who need to be reminded of that responsibility, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency has declared June as National Pet Preparedness Month, which calls for including pets in family emergency and disaster plans.
It wasn’t so long ago that pets were an afterthought in official disaster response planning.
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, pets were not included in government evacuation plans, so many were left behind. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, an estimated 250,000 dogs and cats were displaced or died in the storm and its aftermath.
This led to the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act, which was signed into law in 2006 by President George W. Bush, and as a result, the Federal Emergency Management Agency now provides rescue and care for household pets and service animals affected by disasters. State and local emergency agencies, including the Cook County Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security, also include pets in their plans.
As this week’s tornadoes in the western suburbs displayed, disasters can happen at a moment’s notice, and in the Chicago area, they can happen in any season.
Government emergency plans are important for larger-scale disasters, but being prepared for any emergency starts
with a family. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports only 39% of families have an emergency plan.
“When a disaster happens is not the time to start trying to figure out what you are going to do with your pets. At that point, you are in survival mode. You have to get out, you don’t have time to think through what you are going to do to keep your family and pets safe,” said Natalia Derevyanny, Cook County’s director of communications and spokeswoman for emergency management and regional security.
Emergency plans depend on each family’s situation, she said, but some common elements include a communication plan for receiving and sharing information, evacuation routes, location of shelters, and any special needs of family members — which includes pets.
Derevyanny recommended starting a plan by identifying where to go with your pets if you have to leave your home, or who will take your pets if you cannot take them with you. She advised investigating pet-friendly hotels, and discussing pet arrangements with friends and relatives in advance preparation for any emergency.
She also recommended that families have stickers inside their front and back doors letting first responders like firefighters know if there are pets in the house that need rescuing. The word “evacuated” can be scribbled on the sticker if the pet has been taken from the house.
Veterinarians and their clinics are another group on the front lines for emergencies and disasters, according to Douglas Kratt, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
“Much has been learned since the time of Hurricane Katrina,” Kratt said, noting his group’s members have worked with federal and state emergency agencies on community plans. “For individual clients, part of the job of veterinarians is to make sure that clients are ready in case of disasters. Being prepared is the key.”
Both Derevyanny and Kratt advised having emergency supplies ready for pets — food and water, medications, leashes and carriers, and veterinary records — to grab as “go bags” or for use at home if supplies get scarce. Derevyanny noted that a supply of canned food would provide more hydration in a water shortage.
Having identification on your pet is crucial. Microchipping and a collar with tags are recommended and carrying pictures of pets can help identify and locate them if they become separated from the family.
In addition to family emergency plans, a plan to deal with a pet emergency like an injury or poisoning is part of pet preparedness. Trying to find emergency services at the time of the incident wastes valuable time.
“In a large city like Chicago, you’ll find 24-hour emergency services a little easier, but first and foremost having a good relationship with your primary care veterinarian is important,” Kratt said. “This should be an interview question when choosing a veterinarian, or a discussion with your current veterinarian — how are emergencies handled?”
Another issue, according to Kratt, is traveling with your pets. Investigating emergency services in an unfamiliar place in advance will ease the stress of the situation if an emergency occurs.
Derevyanny recommended that people visit the Cook County website, cookcountyemergencymanagement.org, which includes a section on pet safety and a pet disaster kit checklist from the CDC.
“A little time spent planning ahead can help people and their pets safely survive the unexpected,” said Derevyanny. And that, of course, is the goal of National Pet Preparedness Month.