SARASOTA – At SNN, we’ve made it clear in our hurricane preparation commercials: “Don’t forget about your pets!”
And with all that’s out there about hurricane kits, hurricane shutters and what should be in your hurricane kit, it can be information overload. So convenience and ease are key.
That’s where Sarasota Animal Hospital is trying to help: by showing people how to make a kit that’s cheap and easy to put together.
Practice Manager Margaret Kennedy says the hospital assembled some kits in early June. They’re big orange buckets, ones you could find at a store like Home Depot. They’re designed to be “pick up and go” if you need to evacuate.
“It’s easy. It’s accessible. It’s orange, so you’re not going to forget it,” Kennedy says.
And then, from either Sarasota Animal Hospital’s Facebook page or web site, you download a checklist, buy the items and put them in your bucket for easy access.
“What it does is it gives you a picture of your pet, your pet’s name, their owner’s name and address, their date of birth, the microchip number, the veterinarian, and then a checklist,” Kennedy says.
The checklist provides a list ranging from items you’ll likely find obvious, such as food and toys, to things you might not even know you need, such as a rabies certificate. That’s because, and this is important: a shelter may be pet-friendly, but your pet will still not be allowed inside if you do not have proof that your cat or dog is up-to-date on their rabies vaccination.
Also, Kennedy says your pet will need to be in a crate if you go to a shelter and will not be with you.
“They’re in a separate room. So you need to have your bucket, for example, ready so you can take care of your pet because you’re responsible for your pet. Feeding, walking, cleaning up, that sort of thing.”
So having a big tub, easy to carry, with a checklist plastered in front, and cheap — Kennedy says she put a bucket together for around $25, minus medication — is a convenient way to make sure your furry friend is as safe as you are.
Here is a link to the checklist, which you can download and print.
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