An evacuation plan is a necessity for every home, especially if you live in an area where fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, and other disasters are a possibility. Many homeowners create evacuation plans for their homes and practice them with their kids, but far fewer have considered one for their pets. Take these steps to add your pets to your evacuation plan.
Assign pet evacuation to an adult. Everyone should know how to act during an evacuation, and that includes assigning one parent or adult to the pets. This allows the other parent and the children to focus on their part of the evacuation plan, so there’s no confusion during a high-stress moment when time is of the essence.
Keep evacuation maps and pet carriers readily accessible. If you need to evacuate, you should know exactly where every important item is. If you pets require carriers, keep them in a place that you can access easily. Don't forget any caged pets. While cats and dogs have a chance to fend for themselves, the birds, rodents, and reptiles are dependent on you to see them to safety. My family's cats are indoor/outdoor pets and they go where they please. As soon as they get out the door, they'll bolt away from any fire situations. If it were an earthquake or water disaster though, they would not know where to escape. This is where the plan is essential - not just for one disaster, but anything typical for your area.
Practice your plan. Include your pets in your home evacuation drills. It’ll help you see how they will respond and make changes to your plan if necessary. Getting your dog out of a window may not be as simple as you think!
Be prepared in case you get separated from your pets. No matter how much you drill your evacuation plan, it’s possible that a dog or cat will run off while you’re focusing on keeping your family safe. A microchip or a GPS-compatible tag can help you find your pets once it’s safe to return to the area. Most animal shelters and veterinarians automatically scan for chips when a stray comes through their doors. All three of ours have chips; it was a painless process. I still remember watching the tragedy unfold for back to back Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005. The lost pets caught my attention in particular, as they could not speak on their behalf to find their families. Microchips are very low cost, and can be the difference between being separated forever, and a joyful reunion.
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