This week, I’m putting on my Serious Hat, to give you a bunch of Important Information about how us pets can help our Humans get ready for a hurricane. I went to my Go-To Pooch Pal, Max the Mutt, who does PR for the Vero Beach and Indian River County Humane Society. I know a bunch of you know all about that place cuz that’s where your humans got you, right? Anyway, Me and Max were on the phone this morning and I got a lotta good info for you to pass on to your humans.
First off, you can go to the county website – www.ircgov.com – where there’s lots of what-to-do-when-there’s-a-hurricane information, including stuff about us pets. OR, you can go straight to Max’s Humane Society website – www.hsvb.org. He has put together this pawsome brochure, “If You Go, They Go! Disaster Planning for Pet Owners.”
“First thing to remember,” said Max, “is: Humans should NEVER leave their pet behind alone. EVER! So that means stay home together, or go to friends or family together. Sometimes, your humans don’t have a choice except to board you, in which case, you gotta be brave, and trust them to come back. Don’t let yourself worry. Hey, you might even make cool new pooch friends. If you HAFF to evacuate, and don’t have any other places to go, you could evacuate to a special shelter together.”
“Right, Max!” I said. “I just found out about a shelter here in Indian River County that’s Pet Friendly. It’s at Liberty Magnet School, 6850 81st St.! And I heard us pets AND our humans can go there! That’s Seriously Cool Dog Biscuits!”
“True enough, Bonz,” Max said in a Serious Voice. “At last, us pets have an Official Shelter where we can bring our humans! It’s a cooperative effort between the County’s Emergency Management, Services, Animal Control, the School District, the Humane Society, and the Red Cross. My pal John King – he’s the human in charge of the county’s Emergency Services – told me the pet-friendly shelter is Really Cool Dog Biscuits because sometimes people who should evacuate decide to stay in their houses during emergencies because they can’t find anywhere that’ll take their pets. That’s scary.”
I nodded.
“The pet-friendly shelter does require us pooches to show proof we’ve had our rabies shots. (Cats too.) And they want us to register as early as possible. And remember, the shelter’s only for families who’re in an evacuation area AND don’t have any place else to go. There’s only room for a couple hundred pets in the shelter and there are about 80,000 pet companions in this county!”
“Shut the Doghouse Door!” I exclaimed, taking notes like crazy.
“I Woof You Not! The best place for us and our humans to stay is in ushully our very own home. But not always!”
“Why not,” I wondered. I mean, that’s where all my stuff is. And my fluffy bed.
“Because, Bonzo, if you live on the Barrier Island or in a mobile home, you should evacuate, or sometimes the Humans In Charge tell you you HAFF to, cuz of safety. I recommend that pet owners who live in evacuation areas make prior arrangements to go to homes of friends or relatives outside the area. Because, if you don’t, you could get washed away or blown away. Or both!”
“OK. Thanks! Important safety tip! It’s good to know there’s a shelter like that around here. There’s nothing worse than being scared any way and then having to be separated from your family. It causes lotsa pooches flashbacks to when they were abandoned or turned in.
“But what if we do get separated from our humans? I knew a Pomeranian once who got so scared of a thunderstorm, he busted out the screen door and ran away. Got picked up by a Big Rig driver and ended up in Boise.”
“That’s why we should all have ID tags or a chip. (You can get free ID tags at the Humane Society.) Then, when everything calms down, whoever finds us can call our humans,” Max explained. “ID is the KEY!
“When your humans are making their Emergency Supplies Kit, they should make one for you, too, with all your stuff: leash, carrier, water, food in a watertight container, dishes, can opener, toys, treats, poop bags, scoop, health records and meds. Cats gotta have their litter boxes, too.”
I had a Thought. “How ’bout a picture of us with our humans?”
“Great idea, Bonz!” Max said. “And the more we get our humans to Plan Ahead, the better it’ll be when a storm does come. Like know special phone numbers, and motels that are pet-friendly Just In Case. Wherever you end up, get your humans to bring enough food and stuff for you to last two weeks. Cuz you Never Know. That story about your Pomeranian pal reminded me that, if you’re the kinda poocheroo who gets wa-ay nervous traveling or in a storm or in a strange place, have your human talk to your vet about getting you some Chill Pills or something to calm you down.”
“Dog! You sure know a lotta important stuff!”
“Thanks!” he said. “I wanna give you a little list of Important Phone Numbers. Ready?”
“Yep!” My paw was getting a cramp.
“Injured or lost animals: VB/IRC Humane Society – 772-388-4592 (lost and found); IRC Animal Control – 772-226-3485; after-hours emergencies: VB Police – 772-978-4600; Sheriff – 772-569-6700.
“And it’s a good idea to check local mainland motels to see what their pet policies are, Just In Case. For additional information,” Max added, “You can call the Humane Society: 772-388-3331 ext. 10.”
So, Pet Buddies, I hope you and your humans made it through Matthew okey-dokey, and you can share all Max’s great info to be even more prepared for the next storm. Maybe it’ll be Hurricane Lassie. Or Hurricane Marmaduke. Or Tropical Storm Snoopy. Whaddya think?
Till next time,
The Bonz