Hurricanes are not only deadly to people, but to the pets that are left behind. After Hurricane Floyd in September 1999, it was estimated that several thousand pets were killed or lost due to flooding or wind damage. With a little preparation, your pet will be safe and secure, but it is YOUR responsibility - their lives are in your hands. It is highly recommended to include your pet in any evacuation plans that you may have:

• Make sure that your pet is up to date on ALL of its shots - including a Bordatella vaccination (kennel cough) for dogs, and that you have all of these vaccinations at least 3 weeks BEFORE evacuation. It is imperative that you bring copies of your pet’s vaccinations with you
• Make sure you have the animal’s rabies tag affixed firmly to his collar in addition to your name, address and telephone tag
• It would be wise to bring a current photo of your pet, in case you get separated
• If you plan on transporting your pet, purchase of a plastic crate is the ideal solution for containment of a frightened animal
• Plan ahead to find a kennel in the area that you will be evacuating to. Get their rates, hours of operation and directions to the kennel ahead of time. There are several ways to get a list of kennels in the area you are going to: yellow pages for that area, the internet yellow pages, or call the local Chamber of Commerce
• Or, you can take your pet to many motels in the area: Red Roof Inns allow pets in the rooms - a crate is recommended since your pet will be frightened

• Leave a pet at home with no escape from flooding or wind damage, or chained in the yard, or left in a pen, garage or shed - this was the cause of drowning deaths for thousands of animals in 1999.

Animals will be frightened, as they pick up on our fear or stress of the situation. If you don’t evacuate, PLEASE make sure that your pet is kept inside, with you - crated is the ideal situation. If you have to evacuate to a different area of your home quickly, a crated animal is easier to deal with than chasing a frightened animal.