Hurricanes can be a stressful situation for Floridians and all coastal areas and islands. Families must arrange for food, water, get their homes ready, have an evacuation plan just in case, and care for children and pets. Plan ahead for your family pet care to make an impending storm less stressful. Below we have put together steps to plan ahead to care for pets so you can be prepared when a storm is on the way.
1. Food
Have plenty of food on hand and include plenty of water for pets when purchasing water for the family. You can also fill empty water bottles and gallon jugs if water supplies are hard to find. Be sure to place food in sealed containers, or up high on shelves.
2. Shelters and Hotels
Not every hotel and shelter take in animals, even in a storm. Research in advance which ones take pets. Reserve your hotel a week in advance and reserve in multiple cardinal directions as many times the hurricane can shift towards different cities. Don't forget to cancel the hotel rooms at the notice the hotel requires.
3. Supplies
Find your pet carriers out and clean, have your leashes out, be sure to have extra litter for kitties, dog toys, blankets, etc. Pack them in a bag and have them ready for easy access in case you decide to evacuate.
4. Medications
Contact your local veterinarian to order a two week supply of medications needed for your pets. Do this at as soon as you see a storm coming, at least a week out, because vets may use a delivery service so this could take a day or two to be delivered. Also, if companies are low on stock, they may not be able to access their supply last minute due to ports being closed to shipments related to the impending storm.
5. Paperwork and Records
Have your microchip number, medical records and vaccines info up to date and paperwork in a plastic bag and ready to go. Many local shelters and hotels may require this information before you enter and if there is an emergency you'll need this info for quick reference. Have your peg collar tags up to date so if your pet becomes lost during a storm, anyone who finds your pet will be able to contact you based on your microchip and tag info.
6. Emergency Contacts
Have your veterinarian's contact info on hand, the closest emergency hospital, and a back up emergency hospital info as well. Some offices may be closed, especially if they are located close to coastal areas to it is helpful to have a back up. Have the shelter's number and hotel and family and friends numbers so you have multiple evacuation locations as options for your family and pets.
It is important to have a plan for an impending storm so you can be prepared and ready to be on stand by to follow the local news reports and be ready to go or ready to hunker down when a storm is coming. We hope these tips help prepare you for a hurricane and you can find more info at Ready.gov.
To prepare your pet for an impending hurricane in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Nocatee, and other northeast Florida areas, contact Durbin Creek Animal Hospital at (904) 770-7615 or durbincreekvet@gmail.com.
