Emergency Preparedness!

It hurts to even think about it… However, we all know at some point or the other, we will all have to face something that we were not prepared for…

No matter how well you try to plan things out, there is always something that could send things into a tailspin and turn life upside down and inside out.

Many of us have seen, heard and read about having an emergency kit.. Stock up on food, water and anything else you would need in case of that ‘what if’moment. But how many of us have thought about our pets? What would you do if disaster strikes and you have to leave your home? Sure, you have your family emergency pack to get you through but what will happen to your cat, dog, bird, gerbil, etc? Where will they stay? What will they eat?Who will be looking out for their well being if something were to happen to you? Now that is something to think about!

I have given some thought to all these questions so I decided to start on an emergency kit for Kitty (I may have mentioned it in an earlier post) and today I wanted to share how I put it together. Mind you , there are still a few more things that I need to add to it but so far it is coming along really well.

First, I decided to find a good carrier…. I found this one online and thought it would be a good fit. Not only does it have a good shoulder strap but it also has wheels and a sturdy handle. That’s a bonus when your shoulders start to ache!

Next, I got some sample sized packs of Kitty’s favourite dry food. Having several smaller packs instead of one large bag will keep their food fresh for longer. I also got a few cans of wet food as well as a bag of treats along with a small food dish. I am working on getting a travel bowl for water as well. Obviously I will need more than what is pictured here but this is a good start.

On to the next step……  This part is important so take note….. As you can see here, I have a small box filled with a little first aid kit, some disposable gloves, some litter scoops, shopping bags and a small note book with Kitty’s info. Having all this information on hand comes in very handy if you have to leave your pets in someone else’s care temporarily. It has details on her vet, vaccines, pet insurance, city license as well as emergency contact information.

There are still a few things missing from my kit (a portable litter box, grooming supplies, a few calming treats, catnip, some toys). I think it’s important to keep in mind that in an emergency situation everyone will be extremely stressed, especially your pets so add as many familiar things to this kit as you can think of…a cuddle toy, favourite blanket,maybe an old t-shirt so she has a familiar scent around. It will help with the stress levels.

Finally, it is time to pack this up. For easy access, I put some of the wet food cans into this box and them packed up everything in the carrier. And just to make sure everything fits in there, Kitty climbed into the carrier full of supplies and everyone fits in there well.

In case of an emergency, I can load Kitty in to the carrier, grab our own emergency backpacks and wheel her out. Hopefully, it never comes to that but if it does, I am ready for it:)