Who knows what kind of weather we will have next week? It’s has been a crazy time with weather patterns; a warm winter, tornados, hurricanes, floods, you name it, and someone has experienced it. It is a good idea to always be prepared for the worst. You may never need to act quickly, but you never know……
We have been told to have a “go” bag packed with water, flashlights, change of clothes, medications, etc., but let’s not forget about the pets.
It is a good idea to have sufficient water and food stored for all your pets in your home. Make sure that you have a leash and collar for all cats and dogs, or carriers for them. In case you have to make an emergency exit, your pet will be ready to move. Also, make sure they have identification tags on them in case they should happen to escape in all the commotion. Make sure you have a bag packed with four or five days’ worth of pet food and any medications for them that you might need in preparing for evacuation or power loss.
If you have a bird, reptile or small animal, make sure you clean the cage as soon as a hurricane warning or bad weather warning is issued. In this way, it will be sanitary for a few days if you have no power. It is also a good idea to have a small travel cage in case you need to take your pet with you in case of evacuation. If you stay in your home with a pet in a cage, make sure you cover it. This will keep them more secure and prevent things from flying into the cage in case of window breakage. If you have to leave in an emergency situation it is always best to take your pet with you. However, if you cannot, ensure that you place extra food and water into the cages.
If you have a fish tank, as soon as you hear about a hurricane or a bad weather pattern, change at least 25% of your water. This will ensure that the water quality will be good if you should happen to lose power. If the power does go out, feed your fish sparingly. This will help the water stay clean and clear and prevent fish loss. If it is out for a few days, try to do some water changes if possible. Make sure you clean your filter before the power comes on. All the scum, excess food, etc., will be hanging out in the filter; you do not want this going back into the tank. There are also battery operated pumps that will help your fish survive by giving them oxygen.
If you have a pond, make sure you put a cover or net over it. This will prevent the fish from escaping should the water get too high with huge rain fall, and will help prevent a lot of debris from falling into it.
Hopefully some of this information will be remembered if you run into some bad weather or power loss; if we can be of any further assistance, please call Animal Kingdom at 845-278-6400. We are here to help. Let’s be prepared for the worst, but expect the best!
