Springtime can bring crazy weather – flooding, tornadoes and wildfires that seem to come out of nowhere! While no one wants to be caught in an emergency, it does help to be prepared. If a disaster strikes, you may end up staying in place, leaving your house for a day, or moving out for months. Being ready helps you – and your pup – stay calm and safe!

How to be proactive during Pet Preparedness Month (and the rest of the year)

In honor of Pet Preparedness Month, we have put together some info for you to keep your Yorkie as safe as possible should something happen. 

This is also a good idea for your whole family.

Make a Preparedness List

Write a list of emergency contacts (names, addresses and phone numbers) on a piece of paper and place it in a protective plastic envelope. Then store it with your pet preparedness kit. Some numbers you might need are

  • boarding facilities and kennels both close to you and outside your neighborhood
  • hotels outside your immediate area that accept pets
  • a friend or relative in another town who agrees to be your Yorkie’s caretaker in case of emergency.

Build a Yorkie Preparedness Kit

Buy a pet carrier, complete with padding. Fill a canvas sack with the following items, then store it inside the carrier:

  • 3-7 days’ worth of dry and pop-top canned food
  • a gallon of water
  • a 2-week supply of any medicine your pup takes
  • feeding dish and water bowl
  • extra collar and leash
  • a favorite toy for comfort and a familiar blanket for warmth
  • a Yorkie first aid kit with hydrogen peroxide, bandage tape, cotton bandage rolls, a digital thermometer, flea and tick preventative, tweezers, and saline solution. Also download and include First Aid Tips for Pet Owners from the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Tape a copy of your pup’s veterinary records (including medication instructions, current vaccinations and vet’s contact information) on the side of the carrier. Also written information about your pets’ feeding schedules, medical conditions and behavior issues along with the name and number of your veterinarian in case you have to board your pets or place them in foster care.

And include a current photos of you with your pets and descriptions of your pets to help others identify them in case you and your pets become separated—and to prove that they are yours once you’re reunited.

pet preparedness month

Staying Safe at Home

In some areas and emergencies, you may decide to shelter in place. Making plans in advance will be a big help:

  • Order a free emergency pet alert sticker and place it on or near your front door
  • Choose a safe room, one without windows, that’s easy to clean – bathrooms and utility rooms are good choices
  • If flooding is a danger, pick the highest location in your home as a safe zone.

Lost Pets

Getting separated from your Yorkie can be frightening, but there are several ways to reconnect:

  • Check local animal shelters and animal control facilities every day, in person
  • Follow lost and found pet pages on social media
  • Notify neighbors, local veterinarians, animal control officers and animal boarding facilities, and leave them a flyer with your Yorkie’s photo
  • If your pup is microchipped, be sure to register him on his microchip registry and let the registry know that he is missing
  • If you are evacuated to a human shelter, ask about pet shelters set up by emergency personnel.

Let’s hope you never need your emergency preparedness kit. But with a little advance planning just in case, you and your pet will be ready for any circumstance – and stay safe together!

Contact us for more helpful tips to keep your Yorkie happy, healthy and out of harm’s way.

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