Pets are Family Too

Pets are People Too

Sometimes pets are better than people. They don’t hold grudges, they’re always happy to see us, and they never forget to pick up paper towels at the store. Then again, they never do any of the shopping, so it’s not so much “not forgetting” as “not doing.”

Whatever the person vs. pet importance, families with pets don’t see their furry, scaly, or feathered friends as household objects. If they are ever required to evacuate, they aren’t going to leave the pets behind. If they ever must shelter in place, they still want to take care of the pets.

National Preparedness Month

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) first sponsored September as National Preparedness Month in 2004. It’s a reminder that while we can’t predict disasters, we can prepare for them.

SERVPRO^® of Barrington/North Schaumburg is a recognized expert in remediation from all kinds of disasters: fire, storm, slow leaks, hazardous waste, you name it. We prefer restoration over replacement, and we know we can’t replace or restore you, your family, or your pets.

Take care of yourself and the rest of your family. Take care of your pets. We’ll take care of the damage afterwards.

Safety Plans for Pets

Whether you need to evacuate or stay at home, frightened animals can escape outside. Make sure all pets have identification (collars and tags) that include your name and number. Keep a lookout for clinics that offer reduced costs for microchips.

Try to keep the animal(s) with a responsible adult. If conditions are hazardous for people, they’re hazardous for the animals as well.

Every year, we hear about people staying in unsafe homes or sleeping in their cars because shelters wouldn’t take non-service animals. Before a disaster, located pet-friendly shelters and hotels. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has links to pet-friendly lodgings in cases of emergency. If there is advance warning (for example, a major storm), make plans to stay at such a place, or arrange for boarding if evacuation is likely.

Create a Pet Safety Kit

The kit can be part of the family’s emergency kit, or it can be separate. FEMA suggests having a minimum of a two-week supply for sheltering at home and a minimum of a three-day supply for an evacuation.

The kit should include:

• Enough water for each day (depends on size), including cleaning up
• Medications
• Familiar toys
• Something that smells like you (t-shirt or blanket)
• Copies of needed prescriptions and other medications
• Food
• Leash and harness or collar
• Current information on the microchip (if you are separated, a vet clinic can find you)
• Carrier or crate
• Veterinarian’ information
• Locations and numbers of emergency animal clinics
• Litter box, litter, scoop (cats, ferrets, other small animals)
• Plastic bags for handling dog waste

Pawsitive Thinking

We hope you never need the emergency kits, but we all feel better when we don’t have to worry about the pets.