Is your pet ready for an emergency?

In January, when forest fires blazed through parts of Los Angeles, scorching wealthy neighbourhoods, it not only uprooted people’s lives but also sent hundreds of displaced pets straight to rescue centres. Heartbreaking videos from the ravaged city showed terrified dogs aimlessly wandering the streets, looking for their loved ones and pets left behind to die in millionaire mansions.

In an increasingly warming world, climate-fueled disasters, such as the LA fires or the recent floods in Southeast Asia, are likely to hit the news more often, with catastrophic consequences and loss of precious lives. Landslides, earthquakes, flash floods, hurricanes — each natural disaster comes with a huge toll on survivors. People are often forced to leave their homes at a moment’s notice, leaving behind everything they once held dear. 

During times like these, for most pet parents, leaving their pets behind, who have trusted us with their lives, is not an option. But relying on emergency rescue crews to save our pets isn’t one, either. When human lives are imperilled in such trying times, pets don’t always make it to the priority list for first responders. So, we are all our pets have got. How can pet parents step up their game and fulfil their ethical responsibility and moral obligation to be there for their pets even during calamities? Here are some pointers on how to prepare your pet to face an emergency and be ready for evacuations, should you need one.

Assess your risks

Different parts of the world face different risks. If you live in a mountainous terrain, landslides might be a bigger risk than floods. Earthquake-prone regions are more vulnerable to frequent tremors and aftershocks than other parts of the world. Those living in apartments face higher risks of fires and carbon dioxide poisoning that can easily spread and engulf the entire building. The first step in the preparation process, therefore, is to take a good hard look at where you live and what risks you and your pets are likely to face the most. Make a ranked list of such risks.

The next step is to think about your actions should those risks become a reality and you are asked to evacuate. Where will you and your pet go? If you have family, friends or acquaintances whom you can rely on and seek shelter, let them know they are on your list of go-to people and help them better accommodate your pet if the need arises. Also, a list of pet-friendly accommodations, pet-sitting services or shelters might come in handy. 

Think ahead of the exact evacuation details: will you take a car or call a friend? Is your pet used to car travel? If not, is travelling in a crate an option? For small pets like cats, carriers or crates are easier. If you have pets who are not already used to being in a crate or a container but need them to be during an emergency, it helps to accustomise your pets to it now. 

Once you have figured out the full plan, share it with everyone at home so they know what to do with or without you.

Grab-and-go bag

A pro tip for emergency preparedness is to have a ‘grab-and-go’ bag ready and reachable at all times, not just for humans but also for your pets. As the name suggests, it’s a small, easy-to-carry bag with basic necessities. For our furry friends, it might contain a few day’s supply of their favourite canned foods or kibbles that don’t need refrigeration, water bottles, bowls for food and water, a leash and a harness with your pet’s identification and emergency phone number, a first-aid kit, regular medications if your pet needs any, a copy of their health records, a cosy blanket to lie in and a couple of toys to play with. 

It’s almost impossible to make rational decisions during times of extreme panic, such as an emergency evacuation. With pets, who easily catch on to our anxieties and stress, any sense of disarray can send them on a tailspin toward a full-blown meltdown. So the must-have asset during an emergency is a calm head. But that’s easier said than done. I, for one, am a scatterbrain when stuff hits the fan. Over the years, I have learned that planning for situations can keep me focused, calm and functional. Having a cool-headed partner is a bonus. So, my mantra is this: While we can’t control what emergencies we encounter, we can control how we prepare for them.  

Tailspin is your monthly column on everything that’s heartwarming and annoying about pet parenting. The writer is a science communicator and mom to Pippi, a six-year-old rescued Indie. She posts on X @RamanSpoorthy