With the recent onslaught of natural disasters this season, including Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, it’s important to think about hurricane preparedness for your dogs. It is vital that you know how to keep your pets safe from these sudden storms to prevent them from becoming another fatal statistic.
Do you have everything you need to make sure your dogs are safe from storms, floods, and other disasters? Let Royal Flush Havanese show you the basics of hurricane preparedness for your dogs!
The most critical component in any hurricane preparedness plan is to always evacuate from your home as soon as possible if necessary. Especially in the case of recent Hurricane Irma, knowing the proper evacuation route and local shelters in advance will help to make preps less stressful and will guarantee that you and your pet will be in a safe place during the storm. Florida, for example, offers a Special Needs Sheltering Information Index listing regional locations that cater to those with disabilities, and even a quick Google search will provide public shelter lists in areas including Lee County, St. John’s County, and Osceola County. If you find that storm shelters do not allow dogs, coordinate plans at a relative’s home or pet boarding facility to keep your dog safe and sound.
Hurricane preparedness also includes making sure that your dog is microchipped, and wears a collar or harness with their microchip and town license tags attached. That way, your dog is always identifiable, and in worse-case scenarios, can be safely and successfully reunited with you. Also, make sure to use a carrier that is clearly marked with all of their and your information. Not only will a marked crate make them even easier to identify, but keeping them in their own crate will ensure that they keep themselves and other pets safe. Emergency situations can make any dog easily stressed out and scared, so keeping them separated will prevent them from being further agitated.
Always keep your dog up-to-date on vaccinations! You should always make sure to properly vaccinate your dog, whether they are puppies or adults, to keep many long-term medical emergencies at bay. Vaccinating your dog will keep them and other pets and humans safe and healthy while staying in public shelters. Likewise, many shelters may require that all pets be up-to-date on vaccinations, or they will not be able to board them. The most common vaccines to keep updated include rabies, canine parvovirus (also known as “parvo”), and distemper.
Finally, no hurricane preparedness plan is complete without a dog evacuation kit that includes the following items:
- Photocopies of all veterinary records
- Copies of all registrations and proof of ownership
- A two-week supply of food (rotate every two months) and directions for feeding
- A two-week supply of water (rotate every two months)
- A can opener (if you use canned food)
- Emergency contact list, including phone numbers for your vet, alternate vet, pet-friendly motel, relatives, local animal shelters, police and fire, and Red Cross
- Medications (rotate every two months), plus directions and names/contact info of pharmacy
- Leash and collar
- Two (2) non-spill bowls
- Paper towels, a spoon, and garbage bags
- Dog bed and bowls
- Flashlight and batteries
At Royal Flush Havanese, we strongly encourage you to start as early as possible when practicing hurricane preparedness for your dogs. The sooner, the better! Safety is our number one goal, and we think that you can never be too prepared when it comes to your pets.
Remember, at Royal Flush Havanese we do endless amounts of research on not only what’s best for your puppy but what’s best for you! We are ALWAYS here to help you! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about your Havanese puppy’s health!
Be sure to check out our Reviews on Google Reviews, Best Local Reviews, Facebook, and bbb.org to hear from parents who have already taken their Royal Flush Havanese puppy home! If you’re in need of your puppy fix, check out our Havanese videos on YouTube!
Visit our Havanese Puppy Care page for more information on puppy care, and our blog page for advice on topics including Your Puppy’s First Vet Visit. Also check out our News Articles page for more tips, tricks, and advice from Royal Flush Havanese!
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