Is Your Pet Ready for an Emergency? Essential Planning Tips

Several weeks ago I had a reaction to one of my many medicines and landed in the emergency room in the middle of the night. (Stupid cancer.) Thankfully, my mom was able to make the hour-and-a-half drive down to help me and take care of the boys.

That experience, combined with the heartbreak of watching people across the country dealing with fires, floods, and more, got me thinking about my pet care emergency plan. Do you have one?

Some things I’m thinking about:

• I have fabulous pet sitters who my guys know really well. In an emergency, I know I could count on them and that the boys would be comfortable and happy with them. If you don’t have a pet sitter or boarding facility lined up, consider arranging something in advance so in case of emergency, your pup isn’t meeting a new person or going to a new place.
• Beyond professionals, or for an odd time of day, I know I can call my mom and my wonderful next-door neighbors anytime, day or night. Although, I asked them both if that was okay first – not everyone wants a midnight call.
• For additional preparedness, consider making an emergency kit for your car that contains a little food, leashes for each pet, and a photocopy of their shot records. If you’re ever in the unfortunate situation of being evacuated, you’ll be ready to go – with your pets.

I’m sure I’m skipping over a lot of things you can do to have a solid pet care emergency plan. What am I missing? Do you have a plan in place?