Keep Pets Prepared for Emergencies in Winter, Too

Dear Paws: Please remind your readers to include their pets in winter emergency preparedness planning. Last year, when the Texas power grid failed in extreme cold weather conditions, shelters saw many pets with coldrelated injuries. When the power goes out on a cold night -- or for several days -- dogs and cats can’t just “tough it out.” -- Tyler in Southeast Texas

Dear Tyler: You’re absolutely right. Readers, emergency preparedness should always include your pets. I warn my East Coast readers each summer at the start of hurricane season to put together a grab-and-go emergency kit for their pet. But every region experiences natural disasters, and sometimes they occur in the depths of winter.

A winter-ready pet emergency kit should include:

- A warm blanket for each pet.

- A soft pad for pets to sleep on if you’re in an evacuation center.

- Booties and sweaters to wear when pets go outside in freezing conditions.

- Pee pads and pet waste bags.

- Three days of canned or dry pet food, and bottled water.

- A copy of each pet’s vaccination and medical records.

- A three-day supply of each pet’s medication. - A list of important phone numbers, including their veterinarian.

- Extra leash and collar for each pet, and extra ID tags.

If your pet isn’t microchipped, I strongly recommend it. Pets have escaped from even the most responsible, organized owners. Keep them up to date on vaccinations as well -- it’s hard to predict whether your pet will be exposed to a disease by another cat or dog during an evacuation.

You can find more tips and recommendations for emergency preparedness at https://www. ready.gov/pets.

Send your tips, comments or questions to ask@pawscorner.com.