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Top Things Pet Owners Should do to Prepare for Disasters
Top Things Pet Owners Should do to Prepare for Disasters
Dr. Kurt Venator, Purina Veterinary
Although it’s difficult to predict when natural disasters will occur, preparing for the worst can make the difference when every second counts. Below are five tips for pet owners to prepare for a disaster:
1. Know the common natural disasters that can occur: Though pet owners should try to be prepared for all types of emergencies if possible, depending on which U.S. region you reside in, there are certain natural disasters that are more common than others. For example, hurricanes and cyclones are more likely to occur if you live near the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Coast, and tornadoes mainly hit areas like Kansas or Iowa in the Midwest. The West coast typically experiences wildfires, and flash flooding can take place in certain areas across the United States – such as the Southwest – after large storms. If you live in a region where hurricanes are common, it’s important to understand the elevation level of your property and whether it is prone to floods. This will help you understand how your property will be affected when a hurricane hits and can help you prepare a plan in advance for your pets.
Cami and I live in the desert of Las Vegas, so we don’t have to worry about flooding. But once in awhile there are crazy rain storms and because the city is not equipped for adequate drainage, the parks do accumulate a ton of water! Things we do have to aware of here are heat stroke, crazy windy days and spiders, scorpions and snakes!
2. Prep your home and pet: The first step to preparing your pet for a natural disaster is to make sure that he or she is wearing a securely fastened collar with up-to-date identification in case you become separated during a natural disaster. Pet owners can consider having their pet microchipped to assure that the pet can be identified and found via an electronic device as well. To prepare your home for natural disasters, talk to your local veterinarian who can provide waterproof, “Pets Inside” stickers that you can place on the front and back door of your house to alert rescuers that there are pets inside your home. In the case of a hurricane, try to cover all of your windows with permanent storm shutters or marine plywood and keep your pet away from them while the hurricane is passing through.
Cami has not been microchipped! So having a reliable ID collar with correct phone numbers on it is very very important. I recently changed my number to a Vegas one and her tags still have my old number on it! This is a great tip. Even though I am with Cami 24/7 and hardly ever apart from her. You never know what can happen and if she got lost, how could she get home?
3. Prepare a disaster kit: Your pet disaster kit should include basic pet essentials such as bottled water, cans of wet food, blankets, collapsible bowls, cat litter and pan, and a leash and collar. A one-to-two-week supply of food that your pet usually eats is an ideal amount to include in your disaster kit, however make sure to replace the food according to the expiration dates and call your pet food manufacturer to address any other quality and safety concerns. Have photos of your pet on-hand in case you need to distribute pictures if your pet gets lost, and make sure to include any important paperwork pertaining to your pet (e.g. vaccine records/medical history, veterinary contact information, medications list and emergency contacts). Finally, be sure to include a basic pet first-aid kit in your disaster kit.
I think this is so important to have. Cami is way too big to be carried now, over 85 lbs but we still try. I would pack this emergency kit just in case something happens. A doggy backpack can be perfect for situations like this and we like this one from Ruffwear. Lucky for me, a lot of her vaccines and info is online with her pet insurance app and also on my Google Drive.
4. Develop an evacuation plan: Do your research and save precious seconds by identifying possible locations where you can take your animals should you have to evacuate. These locations can include animal shelters, veterinary clinics or even pet-friendly hotels where you and your pet can find relief until the disaster passes. Keeping your dog’s medical records on-hand is vital since some pet-friendly emergency relief centers require proof of vaccinations in order for your pet to stay there.
5. Recruit friends and neighbors: It’s also important to consider creating a buddy system with your neighbor, family or friend who can look out for your pet in case you are not home when a disaster strikes. Add this person to your veterinarian’s emergency contact list of people who have authority to approve necessary emergency treatments if you can’t be reached. Also, identify places where you can leave your pet while you are out of town to avoid leaving your pet alone. Always let your pet sitter and back-up person know where your pet’s disaster kit is stored in case of an emergency.
For more information, please visit purina.com and petcentric.com.
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PURINA PRO PLAN CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF THE INCREDIBLE DOG CHALLENGE
To kick off the 20th anniversary of the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge (Olympics for dogs!), Pro Plan is partnering with dog-loving, tennis hall of famer, Andy Roddick as part of Pro Plan’s “Call For Incredible” initiative and partnership with America’s VetDogs.
From now until November, “Call for Incredible” will highlight all of the ways in which dogs are incredible—especially Andy’s! Dog owners are encouraged to get involved by visiting proplan.com/callforincredible to submit a photo and story about what it is that makes their dog stand out from all the rest. They can also enter for a chance to win a trip to San Diego during Veterans Week in November to attend the Incredible Dog Challenge demonstration on the historic USS Midway Museum and see some of the most incredible canine athletes and military dogs in action. For every entry, Purina Pro Plan will donate one pound of food to America’s VetDogs, in support of the important work they do with service dogs and veterans with disabilities.
FROM INCREDIBLE JUMPS TO RECORD-BREAKING DIVES, PURINA PRO PLAN CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF THE INCREDIBLE DOG CHALLENGE
Brand Partners with Andy Roddick and America’s VetDogs to Launch “Call for Incredible” Campaign Highlighting Incredible Dog Stories
- LOUIS, (April 25, 2017) – For two decades, the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge (IDC) has been giving competitive canine athletes a stage to demonstrate their amazing abilities in Olympic-style events around the country. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the IDC, Pro Plan is partnering with Tennis Hall of Famer Andy Roddick to kick off the “Call for Incredible” campaign to highlight all the ways dogs are “incredible” and call on dog owners to share their own stories. For every entry in the Call for Incredible Sweepstakes[1] on proplan.com/incredible, Purina Pro Plan will make a donation to America’s VetDogs, to support the “incredible” and important work they do with service dogs and veterans with disabilities.
“Call for Incredible” is a year-long celebration showcasing all kinds of incredible dogs – from canine athletes like Incredible Dog Challenge competitors, to military dogs, and lovable couch companions like Andy Roddick’s two English bulldogs, Bob Costas and Billie Jean. Purina Pro Plan is calling for dog owners to share a photo and story on what makes their own dog incredible by visiting proplan.com/incredible. Here, dog lovers can also enter for a chance to win a trip to San Diego during Veterans Week in November to attend a special Incredible Dog Challenge on the historic USS Midway Museum, featuring some of the most incredible canine athletes and working military canines in the country. And for every entry, Purina Pro Plan will donate one pound of dog food, up to 20,000 pounds, to America’s VetDogs, which trains and places guide and service dogs to veterans with disabilities.
“The Incredible Dog Challenge is more than a competition; it’s a passionate community of dog owners, who feel the same way that we do – that all dogs are capable of amazing things,” said Christi Maginn, Brand Director, Purina Pro Plan. “’Call for Incredible’ gives us the chance to celebrate 20 years of these amazing athletes, as well as the incredible dogs that have impacted our own lives.”
The “Call for Incredible” campaign will also highlight incredible dogs whose lives are dedicated to helping military veterans, such as the guide and service dogs that work with America’s VetDogs. America’s VetDogs recognizes the powerful impact dogs can have on a person’s life and is committed to training and placing assistance dogs with veterans to help better their quality of life.
“We’re excited to partner with Purina Pro Plan to highlight the impact that highly-skilled service dogs can have to help veterans live with dignity and independence when they return from duty,” said Wells B. Jones, CEO from America’s VetDogs. “We know they are incredible and deserve recognition for the unwavering love, companionship and care they provide to their owners.”
Purina Pro Plan is committed to delivering high quality nutrition to help fuel dogs so they can do the incredible. Whether they’re jumping off docks, opening doors or napping on the patio, there’s a Pro Plan formula specially designed to fit each dog’s specific needs. Purina Pro Plan is dedicated to helping promote healthy living in dogs of all ages and activity levels through nutrition that performs.
For more information on the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge or “Call for Incredible” campaign, visitwww.proplan.com/incredible.
About Purina Pro Plan:
Purina Pro Plan is the food of choice for 10 of the past 11 Westminster Best in Show winners*. Our goal is to give your dog the nutrition to be his absolute best, helping him to be energetic and resilient, and maintain an ideal body condition, healthy skin, and a stunning coat. Because being the best he can be means something different for every dog, our wide range of dry and wet foods and snacks, sold exclusively at pet specialty stores, can be found in five specialized categories formulated for a dog’s unique needs. For more information, visit www.proplan.com or follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Google+. The brand is manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare, which promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement, and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health, and wellness.
*Handlers or owners of these champions may have received food or compensation as a Purina ambassador.
About America’s VetDogs
Since 2003, America’s VetDogs (www.VetDogs.org) has trained and placed guide and service dogs to provide independence, enhanced mobility, and companionship to veterans with disabilities from all eras. In 2015, VetDogs opened its programs to first responders, including fire, police, and emergency medical personnel. America’s VetDogs is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded by the Guide Dog Foundation. VetDogs relies on contributions from generous individuals, corporations, service clubs, and foundations to fund its mission to help those who have served our country live with dignity and independence. It costs over $50,000 to breed, raise, train, and place one assistance dog, but America’s VetDogs provides its services completely free of charge to the individual.
Be sure to catch Charlie, the VetDogs ‘Puppy with a Purpose’ daily on NBC’s TODAY.
America’s VetDogs has been accredited by both the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International.
About USS Midway Museum
The USS Midway Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1992. The Museum opened in June 2004. It is governed by a board of directors. Its vision is to become America’s living symbol of freedom, and its mission to preserve the historic USS Midway and the legacy of those who serve, inspire and educate future generations, and entertain museum guests.
[1] NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sweepstakes begins 12:00:01 a.m. ET on 4/17/17 & ends 11:59:59 p.m. ET on 9/30/17. Open to 50 U.S./D.C. residents who are at least age 21 in MS, age 19 in AL/NE or age 18 in other states/D.C. at the time of entry. To enter & for prizes, odds & full Official Rules, go towww.ProPlan.com/Incredible. Void outside 50 U.S./D.C. & where prohibited. Sponsor: Nestlé Purina PetCare Company.
Beginning at 12:00:01 a.m. ET on 04/17/2017 and ending at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on 09/30/2017, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company (“Purina”) will donate one (1) pound of food to America’s VetDogs for each entry into the Purina Pro Plan Call for Incredible Sweepstakes, with a minimum donation of 10,000 lbs. and a maximum donation of 20,000 lbs. of food. For more information about America’s VetDogs, please visit www.vetdogs.org.
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Beverly Hills Dog Show by Purina
Purina showcased the four legged stars in our lives this past weekend at the Beverly Hills Dog Show!
You can participate by posting a photos with #BHdogshow and tagging @PURINA – Every post submitted equals $1 from Purina to the Leader Dogs of the Blind foundation.
What a fun way to celebrate our pets! The first annual Beverly Hills Dog Show presented by Purina was yesterday on NBC and then again on the 23rd at 1pm if you missed it! – http://www.usanetwork.com/beverlyhillsdogshow
We had fun getting ready for the show by rolling out our own Red Carpet at home 🙂 You can see that Cami smiled big for the camera once she saw the treats! What makes your dog a star? Let us know on social media using #BHDOGSHOW
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Dr. Marty Becker Youtube Live: Pet Food & Ingredients
I was so lucky to be a part of the bloggers invited to join the Purina Youtube Live with Dr. Marty Becker! America’s veterinarian and nutrition expert gave us an hour of interesting discussion about dog nutrition. You’ve seen him on “Good Morning America” and “The Dr. Oz Show.” He’s the author of 22 books that have sold more than 7 million copies combined, including three New York Times best-sellers. Dr. Marty Becker truly is “America’s Veterinarian.”
He said it important to have a balanced diet for your dog so they have all the nutrition required for a long and healthy dog. It is important to understand that ‘by-products’ labelled on food can often mean very nutrition dense parts like liver, brain, heart. Dr Becker is a big fan of probiotics to supplement their dog’s healthy gut.
Many human food trends are transferring to the pet world. Some of these trends include free range, organic, locally sourced and unique protein source. The #1 problems for pets are dental disease and skin problems. Do not overspend on food and then skimp on medical necessities.
100% nutritionally balanced and complete food is always best for pets. They can include commercially raw diets and quality kibble. Pet owners can always do research online and look for books with expert food scientists research. The key is nutrition not ingredients. Look out for brands that have their own manufacturing and their in-house team to stand behind the food they produce.
This is another great resource to find further information recommended by Dr Marty Becker: www.petfoodinstitute.org
Find out more about the range available from Purina.
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Brooklyn Expo: Purina Better with Pets 2016
This week, I attended the 4th annual Better with Pets Summit by Purina. I was so excited to head back to New York for this conference! I was not sure what to expect for this year and what topics would be covered but I was thrilled nonetheless. This year’s event was held at the Brooklyn Expo (same as last year) which I thought was a great fit. I personally had a lot more to learn since I have a brand new puppy this year. Jacob had always been a fan of the Purina Pro Plan, a treat for him when we went hiking at Red Rock.
The guests of the conference and I stayed at the brand new William Vale Hotel, only 10 mins from the Brooklyn Expo and it was fancy, modern and comfy. Some attendees brought their pets with them and we enjoyed a meet and greet at the beautiful patio in the Brooklyn sunset. I saw some familiar faces and also met some new bloggers, pet journalists and staff from Purina.
Some celebrity pets in attendance: Preston of Preston Speaks
Reese from Harlowe and Sage
Tinkerbelle the Dog from Manhattan, NY
Cody the Blue Nose from Long Island NY
and Knox the Dox from Raleigh, NC
The day was divided into 3 panels and some interactive activities like pet tag engraving and puppy play center. With pet industry specialist, Purina experts and community leaders in attendance, we learned about the advancements Purina is making in the pet food industry and also in philanthropy. In Missouri, the Children’s Hospital now has a pet visiting area for all kids due to Purina’s endowment and involvement. St Louis Children’s Hospital also has therapy dogs and “Touch” dogs. The Purina Family Pet Center allows children in recovery to spend time with their pets.
Studies have shown that your life does improve dramatically with a pet and pet parents know this for a fact. I was so happy to speak with other pet parents and experts about senior pets, the joy of having a puppy, breed specific passions and causes as well as pet behavior, nutrition and safety. With less of a focus on technology this time compared to last year, I still enjoyed the philanthropic focus, opportunity to donate and help local causes and the adoptable pets featured from North Shore Animal League that were present.
From previous years, I learned the most from discussion topics around innovation, technology and design which were not covered this time unfortunately. Each year, there are different focused topics so I am definitely looking forward to next year!
Find out more about Purina, their initiatives and how to LIVE BIG on www.purina.com
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Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge
Check out Razzles, a Bearded Collie, dominating the Weave Pole event! Other outstanding dogs include Bella, a Mini Aussie and owner Matt winning first prize in the Agility competition, Electra, a Belgian Malinois, impressively leaping off of a dock in the Diving Dog event, Ziva, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, jumping off of his owners feet in the Freestyle Flying Disc competition, and finally five adorable Jack Russell’s competing in a hurdle race.
In this image provided by Purina® Pro Plan®, Razzles a Bearded Collie of Suwanee, Ga., competes in the 30-Weave Up-And-Back competition of the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge® at Centennial Olympic Park on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Razzles took second place and is fueled by Purina Pro Plan. This was the Eastern Regional event, and winners automatically advance to the National Finals in St. Louis this fall. The Eastern Regional will begin airing in national syndication in May. Local listings can be found at IncredibleDogChallenge.com.
