concerned about the survival of their family during and after a disaster.
They need to remember the one member of the family that is the most
helpless: the family pet. Just as we would make special preparations for
an infant, who is helpless and unable to communicate, we must do the
same for those furred and feathered babies entrusted to our care.
One of the things recommended for survival preparedness is the disaster
preparedness kit or 72-hour survival kit, often called a “bug out bag”
or “go bag”. Following that example, there are now disaster
preparedness kits for pets that provide food, water, shelter and first aid.
These come in different sizes, and are often designed especially for
either dogs or cats. These are excellent kits to have in the closet or
garage ready to pick up and toss in the car in the event of an
evacuation ahead of a storm or other disaster.
Here’s a brief list of items commonly included in these pet disaster
survival kits so that you can actually create your own pet go bag out of
items you may already have or can pick up at your local discount or
dollar store.
Pet Disaster Survival Kit Ingredients:
2 Food
12 Water
2 Blanket
2 Lightsticks
2 Bowls
1 50’ Rope
1 Collar
1 Leash
6 Poop bags
3 Chew sticks
1 Can Opener
1 First Aid Kit
1 Pet’s Individual Information
1 3-gal plastic bucket with lid
These kits can range in price from $40 to $80 dollars. These are ready
to go and convenient. However, if you have the time, you can also
create your own pet disaster kit geared specifically towards your own
particular pet.
When I decided to create a disaster survival kit for my dog, I decided
to use one of those black diaper bags provided by baby formula
companies and given to new mothers by hospitals. I had several that I had
picked up at garage sales for about a buck each.
I then headed to the dollar store with a list of the items I wanted to
include in my dog’s go bag. There, for under $10 I purchased:
Packets of moist dog food
3 1-litre bottles of water
Flashlight & batteries
Rope
Chew sticks
Can Opener
First Aid Kit
From home, I added:
Bowls
Collar
Leash
Poop bags (folded plastic shopping bags, vacuum seal in a vac bag)
Since I have a small dog, I substituted two old towels for the two
blankets.
For less than $20 all together I created a complete disaster survival
kit for my dog. All it took was a little time and a little money.
However, if you don’t have the time or inclination to do it yourself, go
ahead and purchase one of those ready-made pet disaster survival kits.
The most important thing is not the money but that you do what is
necessary to ensure the safety of your pet.
