Monsoon reminds pet owners to prepare for hurricane season

Consider last weekend’s monsoon as a little reminder that hurricane season isn’t over. So, if you haven’t assembled an evacuation kit for your pet yet, the time has come. LSART and LSU School of Veterinary Medicine offer these suggestions:

Devising a Pet Evacuation Plan Requires:

• Determination: Resolve to do whatever is necessary to evacuate with your pet. While leaving a car-anxious animal at home may be tempting, you may not be able to return quickly. The safest place for your pet is with you.

• Confirmation: If you are staying with friends or family, make sure your pets are invited long before you arrive on the doorstep. If not, ask for recommendations of nearby veterinary or boarding kennels and make reservations in advance.

• Destination: If you are going to a hotel, call ahead and make sure animals are welcome. Many hotels relax their policies during times of crisis, but don’t assume that this will be the case. For online information about pet-friendly hotels, visit bringyourpet.com, petswelcome.com or pets-allowed-hotels.com.

Information: Pet owners with special needs or without transportation can receive evacuation assistance in a disaster. All they need to do is contact their parish emergency managers (such as the parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness) to register. For a list of parish emergency preparedness offices and contacts, click here.

Also, remember: If your pet requires medical care, the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital on Skip Bertman Drive is open 24/7 and even during disasters such as hurricanes. For more information, click here or call 578-9900.

For more updates on services available and pet owner evacuation instructions, visit lsart.org or vetmed.lsu.edu.

An Animal Evacuation Kit Should Contain:

• A one-week supply of pet food

• Food bowl

• Water bowl

• Bottled water

• Leash

• Collar

• Cat litter box and litter

• Guinea pig, gerbil or other rodent cage and shavings

• Trash bags for stool disposal

• Newspaper or towels for crate lining

• Heartworm preventative

• Flea and tick protection

• A two-week supply of medications

• An entire exotic pet habitat including heat lamps and extension cords

• Rabies tag

• Proof of vaccinations: Keep a copy of the current year’s annual exam records in your evacuation kit. That way you don’t have to scramble to get to the vet, when a disturbance threatens in the Gulf.

• Portable kennel: Find a model large enough for the pet to stand and turn around. Collapsible wire crates are best if your pet might be in a non-air conditioned environment for a long time. Molded-plastic airline-approved crates make for easier transport pets who don’t travel well in the car.

• Identification: While current pictures that capture your pet’s identifying features are helpful, the best form of identification is a tattoo or microchip, which is a tiny permanent identification tag that is placed under your pet’s skin by a vet. By registering your name and address with the microchip company, your pet can be scanned and instantly identified at any shelter, vet or other animal facility.

At the very least, your pet should have a tag with your name and your phone number. If communication lines are down in your region, your lost pet’s rescuer may stand a better chance of getting through to a relative or friend outside the disaster zone, so it’s best to add an out-of-area contact number as well.

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