Hurricane season is in full swing this year! According to NOAA, 2021 is predicted to be an active hurricane season with 3 to 5 major storms expected. Although most of us are accustomed to an occasional storm, it’s important to be prepared for the safety of you, your loved ones, and your furry friend. Keeping […]
Hurricane season is in full swing this year! According to NOAA, 2021 is predicted to be an active hurricane season with 3 to 5 major storms expected. Although most of us are accustomed to an occasional storm, it’s important to be prepared for the safety of you, your loved ones, and your furry friend. Keeping your puppy safe is similar to keeping your loved ones safe—you must carefully plan and remain positive at all times to ensure no one is left behind. If you aren’t sure how to keep your pooch safe during a hurricane, this blog will help fill you in!
Here are a few ways you can keep your puppy safe during and after a hurricane.
You should always plan out how you plan to evacuate to safety with your loved ones (puppy included) when there’s an emergency. The Texas Humane Legislation Network includes a list of pet evacuation requirements for natural disasters occurring in Texas—be sure to check it out for more information. Create a pet safety kit that contains key puppy supplies like food, water, blankets, and first aid. You should also look at local shelters and ask whether they accept pets. If not, you will need to figure out where you can keep your pet safe during the storm.
During a high category hurricane, you and your family may need to evacuate to a shelter, especially if your location is at high risk for floods. If you’re ordered to evacuate, make sure you do so as soon as possible…and take your furry friend with you! Be sure that your shelter accepts dogs, cats and other pets. Review the shelter’s rules to understand what’s expected of you and your puppy. Most shelters are required to puppy inside a crate or kennel to prevent interactions with other people. Your puppy may have their health evaluated and checked for vaccinations. It’s highly important that you keep your fur-baby’s medical records updated and accurate.
To prevent your puppy from getting lost, you should always keep their ID tag on their collar. We also recommend that you have your puppy microchipped as soon as you can. Microchipping is a painless and quick process with a number of benefits for your puppy. With an ID tag and microchip, your puppy will be found safe and reunited with you!
Track the news and local stations to keep up with the latest information. The last thing you want is to be caught up in the rage of a storm. When Hurricane Harvey made landfall in 2017, many people abandoned or lost their dogs during the storm. If your location is at high risk for floods, it’s a good idea to evacuate as soon as you’re warned to do so. Place your puppy in their crate and take them with you. The more you delay evacuation, the more you put yourself, your loved ones, and your furry friend in danger.
We know how stressful preparing for a storm can be. Do not panic or let negativity take over. Calm down and prepare everything that you can for your puppy. By staying calm and positive, you allow others, your puppy included, to calm down with you. The experience doesn’t need to be stressful.
Hurricanes can be overwhelming, but with enough preparation, you can prevent tragedies from happening. You can prevent your puppy from experiencing the worst of the storm by including them in every step of the preparation process. Don’t get left behind this hurricane season; be ready! We hope you and your pup are safe and healthy during these turbulent times!
