Monday, May 14, 2007

Are Your Pets Hurricane Ready?

The article below was posted about a month ago, but it's probably a good idea to move it up to the top of the blog again since the Florida Governor's Hurricane Conference is beginning today. The five-day conference at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale may draw up to 4,000 participants from across Florida to discuss emergency planning for schools and special-needs populations, tropical meteorology, feeding the masses and animal rescue.

If you have pets, you need to plan ahead as well. Where is the closest pet-friendly shelter? If you become separated from your pet, is he or she ID chipped, tattooed or otherwise able to be identified and thus able to be returned to you? If the pet is identified, but your phone and power isn't working, how can you be contacted? Do you have an emergency kit with food, water and medications for your pet? It is all a matter of pre-planning for what forecasters say will be a busier than normal hurricane season, which starts in about two weeks.

Originally posted on 19 April 2007
The new PETS Act (Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act, H.R. 3858) requires all states to include pets and pet owners in their disaster plans. That's great, but it doesn't remove the need, by pet owners, to take steps to plan for your pet in emergencies. Hurricane season starts on June 1st, only about 40 days away.

There is a good article about the PETS Act, the upcoming hurricane season, and what you need to do to be sure you and your pets are ready for it. The article is May 2007 - Hurricane Preparedness for Pets Challenge by the folks at www.AnimalHelp.com and is available on www.PRBuzz.com. It is definitely worth a read.

Other places to get help in preparing for pet emergencies:

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