Prepare for Personal Emergencies
It's important to have a plan in place in case
something happens to you. Annette, for example, has
made sure that her firm's personnel department and
coworkers have her emergency contact information,
which she updates as necessary. They know who to call
if Annette doesn't show up at work and hasn't notified
them of her absence.
Annette's emergency contact is a trusted individual
who has information about caring for her pets and a
key to her home.
Leave your emergency contact person detailed
instructions about your pet's feeding schedule, food,
exercise routine, any pet-sitting or boarding
arrangements that have been made, medicines and dosing
schedules, important medical and behavioral issues,
and veterinarian contact info. Also, make sure the
contact has access to the pet's medical records, such
as the rabies vaccination certificate. Let your vet
know that your emergency contact person is authorized
to take your pet in for medical treatment.
If you are seriously injured and go to the hospital,
you may be able to work out care for your pets with
friends and neighbors. But it's good to plan ahead,
since anyone regardless of age can have an accident,
and a serious accident may prevent a pet owner from
contacting folks to arrange care for his or her
animals.
More tips about planning ahead:
Line up trusted neighbors, relatives or friends ahead
of time who can take in your pets in case of
emergency. One idea is to set up a buddy system with
neighbors, so you can check on one another's animals
in case something comes up. Exchange phone numbers,
vet information and house-keys. Have a permission
slip put in your vet file so that your vet will know
who can authorize necessary treatment for your
animals. If you use a pet-sitter, provide a plan to
be used to care for your animals in case of emergency.
Keep a card in your wallet with emergency contact
information so people will know you have pets at home
in case you are injured.
Have a leash and collar or harness that's easy for an
emergency contact to locate for each dog.
Keep vaccinations up to date.
Place "Pets Inside" safety stickers in windows so
people will know that pets live in your home.
If you hear that a pet owner has been seriously
injured, find out if someone is taking care of the
pets. Check with neighbors or a rental manager. Post
a note on the door of the residence asking to be
contacted if nobody else is taking care of the pets.
If you think pets may be stranded inside a home and
you don't have a key, notify the nearest animal
shelter.
More on Emergency Planning
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_EmergencyPlanning.php
http://www.avma.org/disaster/saving_family.asp
Will Planning and Pet Trusts
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_Wills.php
Other
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pets_emergency
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For more Dog Tips about pet
care, adoption and the work PAW does, visit our
website at:
Partnership for Animal Welfare, Inc.
An acquaintance of PAW volunteer Annette Erbrecht's
passed away at home without anyone realizing it until
the woman's workplace made inquiries about her long
absence. The woman was single, relatively young and a
devoted pet owner. In the time before her death was
discovered, her dogs grew weak and dehydrated.
Understandably, they were traumatized by the time
someone came to get them.
www.paw-rescue.org
P.O. Box 1074, Greenbelt, MD 20768