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How to Prepare Your Pet For A Natural Disaster

Traveling with your pet is a rewarding and fun experience. You look forward to preparing for your trip and plan with great detail your travel route as well as what to bring from home for Fido.

Being prepared for fun with Fido is easy. Being prepared in case of a natural disaster, such as our country has recently seen with Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita, takes a little more planning.

If you live in the part of the country where hurricanes and tornados are more prevalent, your disaster preparedness plan will be different than someone living with earthquake possibilities.

No matter where you live, the following steps could prove useful for helping and saving your pet:

1. Identify that there is a pet or pets at home with a window sticker. Go to the ASPCA site where you can download a form to receive a free window sticker.

2. When you pack your pet’s travel kit, pack an extra kit in case of emergency. This way you will be able to grab it, and your dog, and be out the door. Or if you are not home, and have instructed someone on your rescue procedure, the kit will be one less thing for them to think about. Your kit should include some of the following:

A. Water
B. Kibble
C. Collapsible bowls for food and water
D. Extra collar with tags and leash
E. First Aid Kit
F. Copy of Health Records
G. Pet Carrier with your name and contact info (this is especially important should your pet need to be transported without you)
H. Extra tag from 1-800-help-4-pets, www.help4pets.com. This phone number and your pet’s I.D. number on the back of the tag connect your pet to safety and help 24 hours a day in any emergency.

3. Keep your dog calm.

A wonderful tool that helps animals cope and overcome their past and present issues is the Anxiety Wrap. It aids an animal’s ability to focus & remain calm and compliments the use of gentle training methods. The Anxiety Wrap uses the technique called “MAINTAINED PRESSURE” to aid in calming your animal thereby allowing him or her to redirect their focus. When used with gentle training methods, the Anxiety Wrap works with the animal’s entire mind, body and spirit. www.anxietywrap.com

For more emergency information, please visit www.aspca.org and safe travels!

Fido Friendly magazine lists accommodations where you can stay with your pet while traveling. Each issue includes hotel, city and state reviews. Go online and subscribe today: www.fidofriendly.com