Dear Editor:
While we weather the coronavirus crisis, it’s a good time to make sure we’re ready for other kinds of emergencies. May 9 is National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day, but according to a survey, 91% of animal guardians are not prepared for a natural disaster.
Animals are even less equipped to survive wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods than humans are, so it’s vital to take them along in evacuations and never leave them caged or chained up. Identify places where you can stay with your animals—such as hotels, homes of friends or family members, and campgrounds—ahead of time. Ensure that your animals are microchipped, wear collars with ID tags, and are current on vaccinations. Have an emergency kit with leashes, bowls, towels, blankets, litter pans and litter, and at least a week’s supply of food and medications ready to go.
Our animal companions depend on us for everything, and as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, things can get chaotic very quickly. Don’t wait for an emergency to strike. Make a plan now, so that your whole family can weather any storm, together. Visit www.PETA.org for more tips.
Sincerely,
Lindsay Pollard-Post
The PETA Foundation
LindsayP@petaf.org