Having a 72-hour emergency kit is just as important for that other member of your family, your pet. (submitted photo/Government of Saskatchewan)

By Glenn Hicks

emergency readiness

Pet prep for emergencies

May 6, 2019 | 3:30 PM

Don’t forget about your pets when putting together preparations for any emergency.

That’s the key message from the province and SPCA on this Emergency Preparedness Week who are working together to promote a 72-hour self-sufficiency kit for animals.

“We’ve seen evacuations from many communities over the years and pets, if they’re not prepared for, sometimes have to be left behind,” Commissioner of Emergency Management and Fire Safety Duane McKay, told paNOW. “That adds stress, not only to the humans who are leaving these family members behind, but also to the animals.”

McKay added there’s a knock-on effect when pets and their owners are separated.

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“It also puts a burden on the community that has to go around and feed them. It might be a change in the types of food, or some medication the animal may need and this all adds stress to an already stressful situation,” McKay said.

To this end, the province and SPCA are asking the public to ensure they have some basic points covered.

This includes having a 72-hour emergency kit for pets that contains non-perishable food, water, bowls, a pet carrier, toys and leash/harness, pet first-aid kit, and a familiar blanket or bedding.

SPCA Community Relations Coordinator Josh Hourie said people need to think about the pet kit as they would for themselves and family members.

“Make sure you have dishes, obviously a cat needs a litterbox and litter, any important documentation that’s related to your pet like medical and vaccination records,” Hourie said. “If someone is looking for temporary shelter for their pet, often these places will require proof of vaccination records.”

Full details of what’s recommended for pets can be found here.

And while the pets need to be prepared, McKay said a good idea for families is to have kits in a known place and ready to go.

“For my family we would sit down once a year and have backpacks filled with the various items and hang them on the bedroom doors,” he said.

Those items need to include a radio with batteries, a first-aid kit, non-perishable food, a manual can opener, prescription medications, cash and family health cards and other identification.

“Then you know you’re always ready to go,” McKay said.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow