Consider your furkids while you prepare for a major snow storm, or hurricane.
Prepare to be without power:
- If you depend on well water, fill tub and containers with water – pumps need power to work
- Put fresh batteries in radio.
- Put fresh batteries in flashlights – don’t use candles in case there is a natural gas leak.
- Charge mobile phone – laptops work with modems will not work, they need power
- Get cash – ATMs need power to work
- Fill vehicle gas tank – pumps need power to work
Establish a main contact person
Contact someone (relative, friend) who is not in the area that will be affected. That person would be your point of contact for all other relatives to call so you don’t have to call everyone to give them updates on your status. Phone circuits may not work because the lines could be overloaded from people calling in and out. The Red Cross also has a website where you can share your status with family members http://www.redcross.org/find-help/contact-family/register-safe-listing
Have a plan for your furkid if you need to evacuate.
Do not leave your furkid at home planning to go back for him in a day or two. If your home is in an area that floods, authorities may not permit residents to go back for an undetermined amount of time because of safety risks (remember Hurricane Katrina?). Most shelters do not generally allow furkids to stay in human shelters.
- If the shelter does permit furkids, make sure you have all your furkids supplies with you.
- If you have friends/relatives in an area that will not be affected, ask if they can temporarily take your furkids.
- Board your furkids at a kennel/rescue not in the affected area.
Checklist http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family/pets
Many storm shelters do not allow pets because that space could be occupied by people. Make sure your human checks to see if the shelter will let you in! Here’s a story that explains why this is important http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/25/tornado-season_n_5210318.html
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