LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Pet emergency preparedness


Dr. Mona Miller lives in Lafayette with her son, two cats and yellow Labrador. She attended UC Berkeley as an undergraduate, and received her DVM from UC Davis. She has been happy to call Lafayette home since 2001. She can be reached via email at MonaSDVM@aol.com. She welcomes questions from readers that may get incorporated into a column.

In the wake of the terrible California North Bay/Napa fires, and recent hurricanes, I was motivated to check my home emergency preparedness kit. I do this every couple years, replacing supplies that have an expiration date and adding additional items. In our beautiful Bay Area, it is not a question of whether a major earthquake will occur again, but when it will hit. In addition to stocking supplies and food for all human family members for a minimum of three days, here are some precautions you can take to help your pets survive.

First on my list of to-do's: microchip all your pets! It is a very safe procedure, inexpensive and can be done quickly without anesthesia by your veterinarian or the county. Without a collar or tag, this is a reliable way to connect pets with owners. Keep your microchip registration current with the company - make sure that your contact phone numbers and address are current.

Second is to have an individual carrier for each cat or other small pet (small dog, rabbit, guinea pig, etc.). In the event that you need to house your three indoor cats for a week or longer in a makeshift shelter, there is not enough room in a medium sized cat carrier for more than one animal. Make a small investment in a decently constructed medium-sized carrier for each pet, and then store these in an area that is near your earthquake kit. In some cases, you might consider having a large dog carrier for your large dog - especially if your dog isn't friendly - in case you need to share space at an emergency shelter or with friends.

Consider adding some vacuum-packed dry kibble and several cans of pet food to your own food supply, along with a can opener (not one that relies on electricity). Include some lightweight food and water bowls. Canned food is the easiest method to make sure that your dog or cat gets water and stays hydrated.

Pets need to drink fresh, clean water daily, or consume a fair amount of water through canned food. The general rule of thumb is that a cat needs a half-liter per day, and a 20-pound dog needs one liter per day. Consider having a minimum of a three-day supply for each pet.

Does your pet take daily medication? Pack a week's supply for each pet in a waterproof baggy, clearly labeling the medication, dose and expiration date. Make sure to check this supply annually, along with your food supply, and replace any outdated medication.

For each pet, make an individual sheet of paper with name and photo, date of birth, microchip information, description and any underlying health information. Include a current vaccine certificate. These papers can serve as a quick identifier to search and rescue responders. Some pet shelters may require proof of valid rabies vaccination in order to house your pet during an emergency.

Further information can be found on the following websites: https://www.cdc.gov/features/petsanddisasters/index.html, https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/disaster-preparedness.