Emergency bug out or stay with your pets........? - Page 4

Exit plans? If it really hits the fan, where are you going? Picture rush hour X 100! Better have a tank to run over all the walls, ditches and cars that have run out of gas. I'll stay and eat the weak.

Yes, I agree with DON...when the   SHTF   there will be no leaving for anywhere...You best have your home ready for   months of food, water, place or way to cook,   underground place to store  or hide....guns and ammunition well hidden and plenty of it...,   food preserved in jars , and home equipped with supply of sun for electricity,(solar energy)   grids will be out so you best have taught your family what will each do..

dogs will  have a new diet if you have no where to buy the food...  It is not a scare tactique it is just BE PREPARED>.

Best have a source of eggs, meat and veggies at your handiness... I do not know what people in the city do ? That is why I moved rural....I have a well   hand pumped....and wood to burn and a bbque pit with many bottles of butane stored as back up and can saw a tree down if I have to...

Soaps, papergoods, pesticides, vitamins, meds  so much to think of and we all need to BE PREPARED>>

Our weather all over is drastically screaming   too cold  too wet  too hot  too windy   too much lightening...so it is evident any day now  our environment may deal us a bad hand....I will not leave my home as where will you go??? Everyone else is in same boat....so with no oars you will not get far...

Just think before you plan to head for the hills....unknown territory is scarier than the known home you live in...Do some planning , rebuild a cellar, or prepare as if it were the year 1776 and that should take you thru it for a few months or so...

YR

Y.R., you're screwing me. Stop educating my food source.

Having lived in Florida for many many years and having to do the bug out for hurricanes, me and the critters all leave. If it's not safe for me, then it's not safe for them. I have an emergency plan in place, including where to head to (friends in and out of state) , a vehicle that I can load everyone in (cats in carriers, dogs in between) and an emergency fund for fuel, food and a place to stay. After seeing what Andrew did to many of my friends, I decided not to be caught short again. Now that we live upstate, the plan is still in place except for the horses. Unforunately they are not as portable as the small critters. In their case, they have my info braided into their manes and are let loose on the 40 acres. They have a far better chance of survival loose.

Do not leave your pets behind except when there is no time to do otherwise. If a situation such as toxic cloud or flash flood is within minutes of your location and your dog is unaccounted for you have little choice but to move the rest of your family to safety. Becoming a victim yourself won't help the Staten. Your county Office of Emergency Management/DHS has information on animal response in their Emergency Action Plan. These plans ranges from comprehensive and effective to marginal. Should a large scale evacuation occur there are some things you can do to facilitate finding shelter for your animal. Have appropriate collapsible crates and blankets to completely cover them for all your animals. On each crate securely attach a sturdy clear plastic jacket, large enough for an 8 1/2 x 11 business form. Inside this jacket include copies of health records (most shelters will require current vaccinations), a current clear photograph and physical description of the animal as well as your contact information and special needs/ medication schedule. Chipping/tattooing is recommended, but at the very least a dog tag with your CELLPHONE# and an out-of -town contact (remember, your not at home) on a non-choke collar is required.

If instead of seeking shelter such as offered by the Red Cross you decide to go the wilderness route, you'll glad you brought your dogs. Those woods just might be full of less-prepared people and it would be good to have a dog that's not shy about working over gunfire. That, and they know how to hunt.
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The PETS act of 2006 amends the Staffordshire (FEMA) act to require planning and preparation for pet and working animals.
Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006’
Citation: Public Law 109–308 (2006)
Summary:
The destructive force of Hurricane Katrina exposed many flaws in our nation’s emergency preparedness programs. One easily correctable issue that has come to light is that many of our city and state authorities’ disaster plans do not take into account how to rescue the portion of the population who are pet owners. In order to qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency funding, a city or state is required to submit a plan detailing its disaster preparedness program. The PETS Act would simply require that the State and local emergency preparedness authorities include how they will accommodate households with pets or service animals when presenting these plans to the FEMA. This bi-partisan legislation is necessary because Hurricane Katrina has clearly shown that when given a choice between their own personal safety or abandoning their household pets, a significant number of people will choose to risk their lives in order to remain with their pets. It is now clear that we must require these jurisdictions to have plans in effect to deal with their pet-owning populations as a matter of public safety.There are significant problems, including serious health issues.

 Crawfish,

This is very interesting.  I am really glad you shared this.

My thought that goes through my mind, if SHTF big time, FEMA, and many services and agencies are going to stay focused on the Human population and will have no tolerance for pet owners, again, this is if S really hits the fan.  I could be wrong.....  

Great post.

MarineMom

they generally do not have people evacuate during hurricanes unless you are in coastal areas even then the predicted tidal surges never seem to happen in 05 when we had three hurricanes in a row during the second one all these idiots panicked and tried to leave town the interstate was backed up for miles and miles  in part to all the accidents,hurricane Andrew taught them a lot about what they needed to change in building codes, down here they tell you stay in your houses!