There was a horrific fire in an apartment complex outside of Philadelphia last week and while there were no human casualties, the disaster killed many of the pets that shared their homes with the 375 people who are now displaced. The apartments were known for being pet friendly and it seems that the majority of the residents took advantage of that policy. The day after the accident found dozens of owners scouring the grounds for signs of their beloved, missing companions.
According to Cindy Otto, an associate professor of critical care at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, it is difficult to estimate how many dogs and cats lose their lives each year due to fire. "It's almost impossible to track," she noted. "The big thing is, be prepared to evacuate. It's something that needs to be in place before any disaster happens."
What this means specifically is to have a pet friendly destination in mind, plenty of dog food and medication on hand and carriers for your pet(s) ready and accessible. I am OK when it comes to the first two: I keep absurd amounts of food and meds. on hand and have relatives who live within striking distance that love my pets, but I do not have carriers assembled, for my canine crew. I have collapsible crates in the attic, since that is where they go when we are finished with the process, but after reading this article, I think I am going to move them to the garage or shed to make them more accessible. I also have the carrier that Sammy arrived in, but there is no way anyone is going to fit into this anymore, so I believe I will offer it to my mother for one of her smaller dogs.
The dog food lives in the garage and is very accessible so I think we'd be able to grab some and run if we had to. Just reading this account makes me realize how little time might be available in a true emergency. One resident of the local fire was headed out to the gym in the building when he heard the fire alarm. He thought it was a test and almost left his rat terrier in his crate when he saw ash in the sky. "I ran up the fire escape and grabbed my dog and my phone," he said. "That was it."
So think about it and plan accordingly. Hopefully you will never have to put your plan into action.
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1 comment:
Outstanding advice. I'd also recommend being prepared for disaster of a different type by taking an Animal First Aid & CPR course. An emergency vet clinic here in Indianapolis offers them regularly, as does the Red Cross. You learn all the basics, from how to approach an injured animal to treatment to CPR (the latter is performed using a ResusciDog, similar to what is used to teach human CPR). This type of class is well worth your time and (nominal amount of) money!
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