Preparing animals for emergencies | Animals in Emergencies

Preparing Your Pets for Emergencies: A Complete Guide for Animal Safety in Disasters

 

When creating an emergency plan, it's important to include your pets in every step. This ensures that your animals are accounted for during natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and extreme weather, as well as other unforeseen emergencies.

 

KEY ACTIONS

 

• Discuss and Practice Your Plan: Make sure everyone in your household is aware of the emergency procedures for both humans and animals. Discuss evacuation routes, shelters, and who is responsible for the animals during a crisis. Practice your plan regularly to ensure everyone knows what to do in an emergency.
• Keep Your Plan Accessible: Write down the plan and keep it somewhere everyone can see—like on the fridge, by the front door, or in a place that’s easy to access during an evacuation.
• Have Backup Plans: If you can’t evacuate with your animals, have a list of pet-friendly shelters, friends, or family members who can temporarily take in your pets. Ensure you know how to get in touch with these resources in advance.
• Know Where to Go: For larger animals, such as livestock or horses, determine in advance which fields or barns are safest and can shelter them if you need to evacuate quickly.

 

MAKE SURE YOUR PETS CAN BE IDENTIFIED

 

In a disaster, it’s not uncommon for pets to become lost or separated from their owners. To ensure you can be reunited with your animals, it’s essential to have multiple forms of identification.

 

IDENTIFICATION TIPS FOR PETS

 

• Collar with ID Tag: Ensure your pet wears a collar with an ID tag that includes their name, your name, phone number, and address. Make sure the collar is durable and won’t break easily.
• Microchipping: Microchip your pets to provide permanent identification. This is especially helpful if your pet loses its collar during an evacuation. Keep your microchip information up to date, and include an out-of-area contact (someone outside your immediate area) on the registry.
• Photographs: Store current photos of your pets (both with and without you) in a waterproof container. Include details about your pet’s distinguishing features (color, breed, size, etc.). Keep these photos accessible online, like on a cloud storage service or in your email account, so you can quickly prove ownership if needed.

 

IDENTIFICATION TIPS FOR LIVESTOCK

 

• NAIT Program for Livestock: Ensure your National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) details are up to date. This will help with tracking and reuniting you with your livestock if they get lost.
• Horse Identification: For larger animals like horses, add an ID tag to their halter or blanket. Horses should also be microchipped and registered. 

 

Having the right supplies on hand is crucial when an emergency strikes. You’ll need three key kits: a Home Emergency Kit, a Getaway Emergency Kit, and a Pet First Aid Kit. These kits will ensure that you can take care of your pets’ immediate needs, whether you are staying at home or evacuating.

 

HOME EMERGENCY KIT FOR 3 DAYS

 

This kit is for when you’re sheltering in place or are unable to evacuate immediately. It should include enough supplies to last for at least 3 days.

What to include:

• Food and Water: Enough for your pets to last at least 3 days. Include extra bowls for food and water.
• Bedding or Blankets: Comfortable, familiar bedding or blankets that will help reduce stress.
• Waste Disposal: Plastic bags, gloves, or doggie bags to dispose of waste.
• Medications: Any daily medications your pets need, plus a few extra days’ worth.
• Important Documents: Copies of vaccination records, microchip information, and pet registration details.
• First Aid Supplies: Basic first aid supplies for your pets (more on this below).

 

GET AWAY EMERGENCY KIT FOR EVACUATION

 

This kit is for when you need to evacuate quickly. Store it in an easily accessible place so you can grab it when you need to leave in a hurry.

What to include:

• Carriers: Have a carrier for each small pet (labeled with your contact details) and a leash or harness for dogs.
• Food and Water: Enough for at least 3 days. Include a manual can opener if you have canned food.
• Comfort Items: Familiar toys, bedding, or towels to comfort your pets.
• Waste Disposal: Litter tray and litter for cats, plastic bags for dogs.
• Identification: ID tags, microchip details, and a current photograph of each pet.
• Veterinary Records: Bring copies of vaccination records, medical history, and microchip details.

 

ANIMAL FIRST AID KIT 

 

A dedicated first aid kit for your pets will help you address minor injuries or medical issues in case you can’t reach a vet right away.

What to include:

• Bandages: Gauze, band-aids, and adhesive tape.
• Antiseptic Wipes: For cleaning wounds or cuts.
• Tweezers: To remove splinters, thorns, or foreign objects.
• Sterile Saline Solution: For eye irrigation.
• Thermometer: To check for fever.
• Pet-safe Medications: Pain relief (only those recommended by your vet).
• Basic First Aid Guide: A pet-specific first aid book to help you assess and treat injuries.

 

PLAN FOR SPECIFIC EMERGENCIES 

 

Different types of emergencies require different preparations. Here’s how to plan for some common situations:

• Fire: Plan your evacuation route and where to take your animals in case of a fire. Ensure your pets are easily transportable.
• Earthquake: Make arrangements for checking on your pets if you’re unable to return home immediately after an earthquake. Be sure you have a safe place to go with your animals in case your home is damaged.
• Extreme Weather: For storms, heatwaves, or droughts, ensure your pets have shelter from the elements and access to fresh water.
• Floods and Tsunamis: Know the nearest higher ground, and have an evacuation route in place for your animals.
• Volcanic Eruption: Identify safe zones far enough from the eruption path and have a way to move your animals quickly.

 

REGULAR UPDARE AND REVIEW YOUR PLANS

 

It’s essential to review your emergency plans regularly. Update your emergency kits, first aid supplies, and animal identification information as needed. Regularly check that your pet’s ID tags and microchip details are current and that your animals are comfortable with being transported in carriers or vehicles.

Conclusion

Preparing for an emergency with your pets requires careful planning and the right supplies. By ensuring your animals are properly identified, having emergency kits ready, and knowing how to handle specific types of crises, you can safeguard their well-being during disasters. Regularly review and practice your emergency plans to ensure that when disaster strikes, you are ready to protect both your family and your animals.

Stay safe, stay prepared, and make sure your pets are a key part of your emergency planning.

 

Where can I go for more information? Click on the logos to visit these sites.

 

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Provides direct support and coordination services to companion animal owners during an emergency.

 

 

 

Animal Evac NZ Assists with evacuation, emergency shelter, and reunification of animals. Implements post-disaster community recovery projects to improve animal welfare and resilience to future events.

 

 

 

Helping You Help Animals (HUHA) Provides assistance in alleviating animal suffering through the coordination of the provision of advice on feeding, relocation, or sheltering of animals during and after an emergency.

 

 

 

The New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) Provides advice on where veterinary treatment and services can be obtained. Helps with the coordination of feeding, relocations, or sheltering of animals during an emergency. Coordinates veterinary personnel to assist in affected areas. Ensures rapid communication of relevant information to veterinary members and branches, especially to and from affected areas.

 

 

 

 

Federated Farmers Provides direct support and coordination services to commercial livestock owners to assist in mitigating animal suffering as a result of an emergency.

 

 

 

Companion Animals New Zealand Provides support services to companion animal owners to assist in mitigating animal suffering as a result of an emergency and returning animals to their owners.

 

 

 

The Massey University Veterinary Emergency Response Team Provides initial response to support emergency services with the evacuation of animals and their temporary care and performs in-field veterinary treatment and disaster assessments.

 

 

 

The NZ Institute of Animal Management Provides direct support and coordination services to companion animal owners to assist with the care, relocation, and housing of companion animals and other animals, in response to an emergency.

 

 

 

The Ministry for Primary Industries website has useful information on preparedness during an emergency including helpful downloadable checklists

 

 

 

 

The Get Ready website provides information on preparedness, what to do in an emergency and information on different types of disasters. It also provides helpful downloadable resources’.

 

 

 

The National Emergency Management Agency Website provides information and resources including links to your local civil defence group

 

 

 

 

 

 

The World Animal Protection Website provides information on animals in emergencies both in NZ and abroad and has a downloadable disaster pack.