Emergency Plan for Pets: Be Ready When Disaster Strikes

Emergeny Plan
  • Start by figuring out what you are planning for.  Depending on where you live, you might see  hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes or wildfires.  You should also plan for a family emergency or house fire.
  • Where will your family members meet – inside or outside the home?  Who is in charge of bringing the pets, the emergency kits, etc.?  Practice this – down to having your pet comfortable with a leash and collar and/or in a carrier so they can be loaded and transported quickly in an emergency.
  • Make sure a family member, friend or neighbor has a key to your home and is familiar with your pet(s) so that they can care for or evacuate them if you are not able to do so.  Be that person for them as well.  
  • When you evacuate, where will you need to go?  Have a route mapped out.  Keep a list of hotels, motels and gas stations along your route.  
  • Red Cross shelters generally cannot accept animals – as is the case with some hotels and motels.  For this scenario, have contact information for nearby boarding facilities, dog daycares, veterinarians and animal shelters who may be able to house your pets.
  • Veterinarian contact information for clinics along your evacuation route.  Be sure that you have the afterhours numbers and a list of any emergency veterinarians.
  • Plan ahead for the eventuality that you and your pets will be separated.
  • Make sure ALL vaccinations are up to date.  Many facilities will ask for proof of vaccination before accepting animals.
  • Crate training is important.  Even if you don’t plan to ever crate your pet at home, a situation such as this may require that your pet be comfortable in a crate for long periods of time for travel and/or housing.
  • Muzzle training is also a must for every dog.  If your dog is injured, a muzzle may be necessary.  You don’t want the first time your dog ever encounters a muzzle to be in this type of high stress situation.
  • Practice car travel.  Practicing loading and unloading your pets and supplies should be a part of your emergency plan. You don’t want anyone to panic or forget something important in the moment.  Load all of your family members, pets, crates and supplies to be sure that you have the space and equipment necessary to make everything fit.
  • Make sure that your pets’ are microchipped and your contact information is up to date.  
  • Each pet should have a well-fitting, securely-fastened collar with ID tags that display your contact information.  Use secure tags that won’t catch on objects or be easily pulled off.  You can even use a permanent marker to write this information right on the collar.  A recent recommendation has been to write a contact phone number right on your pet’s belly with a permanent marker.

Emergency Plan
  • Make reservations at a hotel or motel along your evacuation route.  Let them know that you will be traveling with pets.
  • If you cannot find a place to stay that will accept your pets, contact a nearby boarding facility.
  • Get your car ready to travel.  Load what you can ahead of time.
  • Put ID collars on your pets and keep them inside and close by so that you are not searching for them at the last moment.
  • Bring your pets inside at the first warning of an impending disaster.  Keep your dogs in crates or on leashes and cats in carriers if you are preparing a space or packing your car.
  • Monitor air quality and adjust you and your pets’ activities accordingly – especially during wildfire season.
Evacuating with your pet
  • Photocopies of veterinary records 
    • Your veterinarian’s contact information
    • Rabies certificate
    • Vaccination records (names and date of administration)
    • Medical summary 
    • Prescription and vet contact information for all medications
    • Most recent heartworm test result
    • Most recent FeLV/FIV test result (for cats)
  • Photocopies to show proof of ownership – purchase agreement, adoption records, etc
  • Pet description (breed, gender, weight, color, unique markings or scars, etc.)
  • Good quality, recent photograph(s) that show the animal’s entire body
  • Microchip information – chip number; name and contact for microchip company
  • Detailed information on any behavior issues
  • Boarding information
  • Your contact information along with contact information for any family, friends or relatives who will be able to get in touch with youPet Boarding instructions
  • Food – 2- to 4-week supply stored in waterproof containers
  • Water – 2-week supply
    • The standard for humans is one gallon per day.  Depending on the size of your pet, they may require less.
    • Keep an extra gallon for rinsing in the event that  your pet is exposed to chemicals or flood waters.
  • Food and water dishes – non-breakable; collapsible or spill-proof work well
  • Manual can opener and spoon (for canned foods)
  • Detailed feeding instructions
  • Medications – 2- to 4-week supply of all – even those for occasional use
  • Detailed instructions for all medications (when, how much, how to administer)
  • Flea, tick and heartworm preventatives – 4-week supply
Emergency Plan
Emergency kits for everyone.
  • Locate a safe space where everyone can stay together.  This includes:
  • Close off any openings with strong plastic sheeting and tape – fireplace, vets, pet doors, etc..  This will keep out the storm and prevent scared pets from escaping.
  • Close off any hiding places where you would have difficulty locating your pets if you need to get to them quickly.
  • Remove any dangerous or toxic items, plants, or foods from the safe space.
  • Bring your pets inside at the first warning of an impending disaster.  Keep your dogs in crates or on leashes and cats in carriers if you are preparing a space.
Emergency Plan
Portable potty zones. image from Justin Bartlett Animal Hospital
  • Water may not be safe to drink and food may have spoiled or been contaminated.
  • Homes, garages and outbuildings may not be stable or stray/wild animals may have taken refuge inside.
  • Keep pets on leashes or in crates.
    • The area may not feel, look or smell familiar after a storm or fire
    • Windows, doors, fences and gates may be damaged
    • There may be sharp or toxic debris (e.g., glass, nails, spilled chemicals, etc.)
  • The disaster itself or the process of evacuation may have taken a toll on your pet – causing high stress levels.  See your veterinarian if you are seeing new behaviors.
Emergency Plan
Follow safety precautions when you return home

Kerrie Hoar, M.S., CDBC, CCPDT-KA, ADT, FFCP

Kerrie Hoar has a master’s degree in Biology and is a certified dog behavior consultant and certified professional dog trainer. She owns Crimson Hound LLC dog training in La Crosse, Wisconsin

Tips for a Safe, Cool Summer

Safe Summer Activities
Car Temperatures
  • Use the Seven-Second Rule. If the sidewalk or asphalt is too hot to lay the back of your hand on it for seven seconds, it is too hot for your dog’s paws.
  • Change walk locations. Walk in the grass, in fields or in the woods. If necessary, drive to a good location for your walk.
  • Shift timing of walks. Walk early in the morning or late in the evening when the ground is cooler.
Surface Temperature
  • Play in the sprinkler or hose with your pup.
  • Sprinkle your lawn and then set up a scatter feed, treat trail or treasure hunt for your dog.
  • Create a variety of ice pop treats. Freeze broth or water in ice cube trays, paper cups or even buckets. Add toys, treats, fruit and veggies. Freeze. Then unmold and let your dog enjoy a cool summer treat.
  • Fill a kiddie pool with water. Float treats, fruit or veggies and let your dog bob for treats.
  • 2 cups of fruit (blueberries, strawberries, pumpkin, cantaloupe, watermelon, etc.
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  1. Blend fruit to create a puree.
  2. Mix fruit and yogurt together.
  3. Pour into ice cube trays, silicone ice molds or mini muffin tins.
  4. Place in freezer for at least 1 hour.
  5. Store in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers for up to one month.
Brachycepahlic (short-snout) dogs have limited ability to control temperature. (from Sagehills Veterinary Services)
  • Excessive thirst
  • Heavy panting
  • Difficult breathing
  • Excessive drooling
  • Lethargy
  • Bright red tongue/gums *
  • Elevated heart rate
  • Fearful expression
  • Confused/disoriented
  • Wobbly/unsteady
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Dark urine
  • Collapse
  • Seizures
  • Move the dog to a cool, shady area.
  • Pour cool (NOT cold) water over the dog’s body (not his head). In an emergency, you can immerse the dog’s body in cool water – keeping his head above the surface.
  • Do NOT cover the dog with wet towels! This traps the heat.
  • Give small amounts of water to drink.
  • Once the dog has cooled down, get to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
  • DO schedule walks and outside activities for early morning or late evening.
  • DO provide lots of clean, fresh cool water.
  • DO provide cool surfaces and lots of shade.
  • DO limit time outside when it is hot and/or humid.
  • DO avoid sidewalks and asphalt.
  • DO restrict rigorous exercise
  • DO brush your dog regularly to remove excess hair and mats.
  • DON’T schedule walks and outside activities for mid-day.
  • DON’T spend time in direct sun.
  • DON’T leave your dog in a parked car.
  • DON’T shave double-coated dogs.
  • DON’T rely on a fan alone to keep your dog cool.

Kerrie Hoar, M.S., CDBC, CCPDT-KA, ADT, FFCP

Kerrie hoar has a master’s degree in Biology and is a certified dog behavior consultant, certified professional dog trainer and fear free professional. She owns Crimson Hound LLC dog training in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Explaining Support Animals

Explaining Support Animals blog

WHAT DO SERVICE ANIMALS DO? Service animals perform a task(s) for a specific person; such as, seizure response, mobility assistance, autism assistance, hearing/visual assistance, psychiatric assistance, diabetic or allergy alert, etc.

  • is not housetrained (e.g., urinating/defecating in a restaurant, etc.)
  • is posing a threat to the safety of others
  • is not being controlled by the handler
  • cannot be reasonably accommodated due to size or weight (usually applies to horses)
  • Is the animal required because of a disability?
  • What work or task has this animal been trained to perform?
  • ask about the nature or extent of the disability
  • request documentation
  • require a vest on the animal
  • require a harness and leash as it can interfere with the animal’s ability to perform the task
Service animals perform a task or tasks for a specific person.
Service animals perform a task or tasks for a specific person.
Don’t fake SA or ESA credentials just so you can take your pet along. Incidents with uncontrolled imposters puts others at risk and make life difficult for those who legitimately need support animals.

WHAT DO EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS DO? Emotional support animals provide therapeutic support and companionship to their person.

  • the patient’s name
  • the letter writer’s relationship to the patient
  • the purpose for the ESA
  • the type of animal for which accommodations are being asked
  • refuse to rent or sell housing because of an ESA
  • evict a tenant because of an ESA
  • charge higher rent, a pet deposit or a pet fee to a person with an ESA
  • refuse to provide reasonable accommodations or modifications
  • refuse to provide housing on the basis of breed or weight restrictions
  • contact the writer of the ESA letter or ask the individual for details of their disability
  • the individual does not provide an ESA letter or provides fake documentation
  • the housing provider demonstrates that necessary accommodations/modifications would impose an undue financial and administrative burden
  • the request would fundamentally alter the essential nature of the operations
  • the ESA poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others despite any other reasonable accommodations that could eliminate or reduce the threat
  • the ESA would or does cause significant damage to the property of others despite any other reasonable accommodations that could eliminate or reduce the threat

Service Animals vs Emotional Support Animals

Emotional Support Animal Regulations & Guidelines

Discussing ESA Considerations with Your Client

3 Things Therapists Need to Provide Before Providing an ESA Letter

ESA Letter Templates for Housing & Travel

Emotional support animals provide therapeutic companionship to their person.
Emotional support animals provide therapeutic companionship to their person.

WHAT DO SKILLED COMPANION DOGS DO? Skilled Companion Dogs are trained to assist with a variety of physical and/or psychological challenges within the home.  They are NOT Service Dogs or Emotional Support Dogs.  They are pet dogs who have been trained to support their owner with a variety of simple, directed tasks, as well as provide comfort and emotional support.  Examples of what a SKD may be trained for are retrieving dropped items, opening drawers, turning lights on/off, deep pressure therapy or relaxation techniques.  They can be trained to alert to nightmares or to retrieve medications; however, they are not specialized in a particular skill and do not have public access or special housing accommodations.

A Skilled Companion Dog may be trained for simple, directed tasks within the home such as retrieving dropped items, opening drawers, turning lights on/off, deep pressure therapy or relaxation techniques. 

WHAT DO THERAPY ANIMALS DO? Therapy animals provide comfort and support to people other than their handler.

  • You must comply with your state and municipality laws. In Wisconsin, all dogs and cats must be up to date on rabies vaccinations and licensed in their home county. However, there are no such requirements for other animals in the state of Wisconsin.
  • Your national organization may have additional requirements such as additional vaccinations, annual fecal exams or annual veterinary wellness exams.
Therapy animals do not have the same public access privileges as service support animals.
Therapy animals must be a good fit for the environment in which they will be working. As can be seen here, this dog’s body language is saying that he is not comfortable . Therapy work in certain environments or therapy work in general may not be the right fit for every dog … and that’s okay.

WHAT DO COMPANION ANIMALS DO? Our pets are our companions, our partners, our teammates, our comfort, our home … They give us joy, join us in activities and give us comfort.

Companion animals provide comfort, and can function as emotional support animals.
Our pets are our companions, our partners, our teammates, our comfort, our home ..

Navigating the Loss of a Pet

Pet Loss blog
Pet loss poem.  "Grief is the price we pay for love" by Queen Elizabeth II.
Pet loss poem  "Don't cry because it's over.  Smile Because it happened" by Dr. Suess.
  • Does my dog have a good quality of life? Are they eating and drinking? Are they able to urinate/defecate? Do they enjoy human interaction?
  • Does my dog have more good days than bad?
  • Is it possible for my dog to recover with a treatment plan that I can commit to both financially and personally?
Pet loss poem  "Pets come into our lives to teach us about love, adn their departure teaches us about loss."

The Box Game

Level 1: Upsidedown

upturned

Level 2: Box Game on its Side

Level 3: Reaching Inside

Level 4: Flaps Out

Level 5: Adding Elements

Level 6: Flaps In

The Ultimate Box Game

The Box Game

The Exploratory Box Game

The Box Game

Backyard Activity Ideas for You and Your Dog

Fun Backyard Activity Ideas for You and Your Dog

Backyard Activity: Agility

Dog walk

Backyard Activity: Dog Parkour (AKA Urban Agility)

  • As your dog’s partner, you are keeping him safe by acting as his spotter.
  • Harness and Leash: Use a harness with a 4-6′ leash clipped to the back of the harness.
  • Retractable leashes and long lines can become tangled and create a safety hazard
  • Long lines
  • NEVER use prong collars, slip/choke collars, slip lead or head halter.
  • Obstacles should be no higher than the handler’s shoulder height.
  • Do not let your dog jump down onto hard surfaces from any obstacle higher than that dog’s shoulder height. Instead, use his harness to help lower him to the ground.
  • Check before letting your dog enter public or private property.
  • Parkour can be done off leash if spotting is not necessary.
  • Balancing on stumps, rocks, logs, benches, parking space barriers, retaining walls, etc. Be sure that any obstacle that you are asking your dog to climb or jump onto has been checked for stability.
  • Balancing on or weaving around parking spot barriers.
  • Walking along retaining walls.
  • Stepping up or backing up onto stairs or curbs.
  • Walk on top of or crawl under benches.
  • Weaving around a line of trees or bushes.

Backyard Activity: Hoopers

Backyard Activity: Treibball

Backyard Activity: Rally

Rally course

Backyard Activity: Scentwork