Disaster Preparedness

Given that its wildfire season here in Southern California, I found it a good time to remind everyone of the importance of disaster preparedness for your pets. If you have pets of any kind, you should have a plan in place that includes them in case of natural disaster like earthquakes and fires. First, make sure your pets are microchipped and that your contact information is up to date with the microchip manufacturer. Make sure you write down the microchip number and keep this with their medical records. Secondly, make sure you have a disaster preparation kit for your pets. This kit should include: a carrier for each pet with your name and contact information on the top of the carrier, enough food and water to last for 2 weeks for each pet, medications to last for 2 weeks, leashes and collars, medical records including vaccination records, and a litter box and litter for cats. Finally, you need to have an evacuation plan. Practice with the family so everyone knows who takes what supplies, where to find the pets if scared, and where to meet up. Practice with your pets too. You can do this by helping them get used to their carriers and get used to car rides if they aren’t already. Knowing where your pets may hide when they are stressed or scared is also important so you can find them and get them out quickly. Cinema Veterinary Centre is located at 23460 Cinema Drive, suite L in Valencia 91355, (661) 253-9300.