It has been said that some animals instinctively know when an earthquake is about to happen, that belief has been around for centuries! We, here on the island, are waiting for the ‘big one’, and we hope it doesn’t happen in our lifetime!
The disasters we are more likely to face are fires and floods – usually on a smaller scale such as a house or apartment fire but larger disasters have happened here such as a tsunami which occurred in Port Alberni in 1964, an earthquake in the Comox Valley in 1946 and the Taylor River fire in the 1960s. We are lucky that we don’t usually get the fires that the BC interior do, but we shouldn’t be complacent. When disaster strikes, we need to be prepared both for ourselves and those that cannot speak or prepare for themselves – our animals and pets.
There are a few things we can do to prepare in advance for an emergency that we hope will not happen but are ready for if it does.
Buddy up with neighbours so that in the case of an emergency, they can take care of your pets.
Make sure your pet is microchipped for identification and keep vaccinations up-to-date. Most kennels will not accept a dog if his Rabies and Bordetella vaccinations are not current.
Plan where you could stay in an emergency if there was a house fire – friends, neighbours or make a note of local hotels that are pet friendly.
Put together a ‘Grab and Go’ bag.
Some of the items that should be in a pet ‘Grab and Go’ bag for a seven day period should include:
Water and bowls
Canned or dry food – and can opener if needed
First Aid kit and medications
Grooming supplies
Current vaccination record
ID information – microchip, tattoo number, license
Photo of you with your pet
For more detailed information go to https://www.cdart.org/preparing-for-a-disaster/
People with livestock face different problems. Nobody wants to see an animal in distress but animals are scared during an emergency and not always cooperative! Whether it is a pet pig in the back pen or a herd of cows in the back forty, there are things you can do to prepare for an emergency.
Condition animals to being loaded and transported, locate possible evacuation sites and, if possible, ID all animals. Only as a last resort, open gates or fences to give your animals the best chance of survival.
More information can be found on the Government of Canada website: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/frm-nmls/index-en.aspx
Not all large animals are technically classed as livestock. According to agriculture Canada, to qualify as livestock, animals must generate a portion of income otherwise they are classed as ‘pets’. https://www.ready.gov/pets
Remember the saying – ‘If it’s not safe for you, it’s not safe for your animals and pets!’