June Means Hurricane Season - Are You Prepared?

Yes, it's that time again. Though many of us in New Orleans may shudder at the thought post K, living so close to the Gulf Coast means living with the ongoing threat of a "tropical" system occurring being very much of a reality. While the official start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season is June 1, hurricanes can actually happen at any time of the year.

As stated in our recent newsletter, as we get closer to August and September hurricanes can become more active. Petit Pet Care could potentially be caring for as many as 20 pets on a given day, and in the event of a mandatory evacuation it would be impossible to move them all to safety. It is extremely important that you have a plan in case a storm arises when you are out of town.

It is equally important that you have a storm plan in case a system heads our way that does not require an evacuation. High winds are known to bring down tree limbs and wreak havoc on power lines. It's not unheard of to be without electricity for days after a storm has exited the area.

Our client, Milo, with the hurricane kit his mom put together.

That means that both people and pets could have to suffer through some very hot days and dark nights. Lanterns for each room as well as battery operated fans are must-have. Other important battery operated items include radios and televisions to be able to keep up with weather reports. (Of course you'll need batteries too...)

New Orleans hasn't been directly impacted by a storm since about 2012. This is both a good thing and a bad thing because those who moved to the city post K and have not experienced a storm first hand will not understand the necessity of advance preparation for something that may not even happen. It's important not only to gather supplies, but to do so early in the season so that you don't run the risk of important items being out of stock should a storm threat arise.

Even when there is no tropical system, rainstorms frequently cause flooding and ponding on metro area roads making them impassible. That means that in addition to the possibility of a power outage, you have to plan for the possibility of your route to or from home being inaccessible or even the need to move your vehicle to higher ground temporarily.

Make sure you have several gallons of bottled water for you and your fur babies. If they require medications, make sure you have extra on hand as well as additional food, potty pads, kitty litter - anything you might need if you were cut off from replenishing household supplies for a few days. Be sure to include cleaning supplies in your storm prep shopping.

If for some reason you are out of town when a storm hits arrangements may have to be made to move your pet to safety. Be sure to provide an emergency contact who would be willing to evacuate with your pet should the need arise. If no one is available and Petit Pet Care has to evacuate your pet we will need access to your pet's most recent vaccination records, up-to-date vaccination tags, and their carrier/crate as well. (Note there will be a per pet, per day charge.)

If you are new to the area, or haven't experienced hurricane season with a pet before, you may find the following helpful in the event you have to evacuate:


Pro tips for evacuating with pets:

• For cats, pick up a couple of disposable litter boxes and make sure to have extra litter.
• If your pet gets anxious while traveling, talk to your vet about a sedative. Dogs can safely be given Benedryl, but speak to your vet about the proper dosage.
• Music can help soothe an anxious pet while in the car. Try playing some classical music or something like Frank Sinatra.
• Keep your cats in their carriers when in the car and transporting. They feel safer in their carriers than loose. If loose in the car, they will try to hide under seats and may bolt once a door is open. Make sure the carrier is big enough for your cat to move around and has a towel or blanket for them to lie on.
• Make sure your cat or dog has a collar on with their rabies tags and contact info in case they do get lost. Have your pet microchipped if they aren't already. Tags can fall off, so you can try this low-tech trick: write your phone number on the inside of your dog's collar with a permanent marker.

For more tips and information about hurricanes and how to prepare for them, please see our Pinterest board, Hurricane Season and Disaster Preparedness.

Have some tips you'd like to share? Please post them in the comments.


Useful Links:

Red Cross Pet and Disaster Safety Checklist
Get A Game Plan
NOLA Ready
LASPCA Disaster Preparedness

September, Cooler Temps, and Safe Pet Travel

 September has arrived and the air is finally becoming less humid. Plants that were stifled and scorched in the intense heat of July and August are bouncing back and have started putting out new growth. The intermittent breeze has become more frequent, making it far more pleasant to be outside, and a couple mornings this month it almost seemed like long-sleeve weather. While it will still be in the 80s for a while, and we won't see any real fall color in New Orleans until around November, it's nice to be able to be outside without the constant strain of oppressive heat.

While a slight dip in temperature is cause enough for celebration in these parts, about this time of year a number of people often start to relax for another reason - the midpoint of hurricane season. With September being seen as the climax of the period, if we get through the month without any major storms, many folk believe things will be okay for the rest of the time until the official close of the season in November.

Thankfully, 2015 has been a relatively quiet hurricane season with no named storms approaching the area, let alone any need to evacuate. It's always a good idea though to be prepared just in case. For starters, keeping a pet evacuation kit handy can save you from racing around at the last minute trying to get important supplies when store shelves are likely to be empty.

It can be difficult enough to find an available hotel room even a few days out when there is a storm approaching, but evacuating with pets can make it even more of a challenge, particularly if you have more than one. Having a list of pet-friendly hotels on hand will make the process a lot smoother for both you and your animals.

In the event that you are unable to find a hotel to evacuate to that accepts pets, your next best option may be to find one near a PetSmart PetsHotel. This way you can board your pet in a safe location overnight and still be nearby.

Of course, knowing the best way to get out of town when an evacuation is called is also crucial. No one wants to be sitting in gridlock traffic on the Interestate for several hours at what is already a stressful time. Say what you will about Twitter and Facebook, but social media is an excellent resource for keeping up with what is happening on the roads, especially when you don't have access to your favorite local TV or radio broadcasts.

When traveling with pets, The Huff Post recommends taking a trial run. If your pet isn't used to being in the car for long periods of time it could get sick or anxious. Your pet will need frequent bathroom breaks during your road trip out of town as well as plenty of bottled water to stay hydrated. You won't want to feed your pet while the car is moving, so be sure to plan your stops around his or her regular meal times.

When traveling across state lines Web MD recommends bringing a copy of your pet's vaccination papers along as some states require proof at interstate crossings. If your pet isn't microchipped, be sure it is wearing a collar with ID tags that clearly identify it and contain your direct and current contact information. You may also want to get a temporary tag with the information for your travel destination in case you and your pet get separated.

Make sure pets are crated or otherwise properly restrained for the journey. Items like favorite blankets and spill-proof water bowls will help to make time on the road a lot less stressful, and leashes and harnesses will help ensure your pet doesn't get away from you at rest stops. While everyone hopes to never have to evacuate, when it comes to traveling with pets, a little planning will go a long way.


Useful links:

Nola Ready
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
DOTD New Orleans Traffic
Pet Boarding Packing and Tips
Traveling by Car or Truck With Pets

Ten Years Later: Katrina, Pets, and Remembrances

August in New Orleans can be oppressively hot to say the least. 2015 daily high temperatures have been off the charts with heat indices in the triple digits, leaving both people and pets seeking the comfort of shade and air conditioning. However, August has also become a time of reflection and remembrance.

Ten years ago this month, New Orleans experienced its worst nightmare. Hurricane Katrina made landfall on August 29, 2005 as a Category 3 storm, causing over one billion dollars in damage along the Gulf Coast, and leaving eighty percent of the Crescent City under water. Despite being urged to evacuate, many residents had refused to leave town without their pets, a decision that would prove fatal for some.

The staggering and devastating losses of Katrina (followed two weeks later by Rita) prompted new state and federal legislation requiring that pets be included in disaster evacuation planning and execution. Fast forward to 2008 and all of the lessons learned three years before were applied during a dress rehearsal in the form of hurricane Gustav. The mayor hyped things up by calling Gustav "The mother of all storms," compelling people to get out of town as there would be no "shelter of last resort" available.

As a result of the new laws, over 1,600 pets were evacuated  many with their owners, While Gustav caused a lot of wind damage, it turned out to be not as serious for New Orleans as residents had been led to believe it would be. However, because the mayor's scare tactic worked, city officials and first responders were able to attend to important matters at hand and test out new measures for recovery.

At the same time city officials were preparing for the arrival of Gustav, a memorial was unveiled in council chambers dedicated to the thousands of pets lost in Katrina and Rita. The statue of a seated dog and cat, created by Baton Rouge artist Richard Chashoudian, sits outside council chambers in city hall. (Unfortunately it can only be accessed on council meeting days.)

On the eve of the tenth anniversary of Katrina, New Orleans once again faces the potential approach of yet another named storm, but unlike 2005, it has been a relatively quiet season. It's still early to know if Erika will actually visit New Orleans, let alone rise above tropical storm status, but at least Nola pet parents now have access to a wider range of resources and information to assist them should they need to evacuate with their four-legged family members.


Resources

Hurricane Preparedness

Pet Evacuation Kit Provisions

Pet Disaster Safety

Pet-Friendly Hotels

Emergency.Louisiana

National Hurricane Center

Kinship Circle Animal Disaster Response