The persistent band of heavy rain & storms continues from the Central Atlantic across Florida into the Gulf of Mexico. While weak low pressure might eventually evolve this weekend over the extreme Northern Gulf or along the Gulf coast states, no tropical development is expected.
Pets During a Storm...
A quarter of a million animals were left behind during Hurricane Katrina and only 15,000 were rescued. While many people are discussing how well structures held up, how quickly power outages were fixed and other things along those lines, don't forget about pets. Too often people tend to forget to think about animals and how they are affected by hurricane season. We have to change this by helping your viewers be fully prepared this hurricane season and that means having a plan for their pets. Pet Paradise, an upscale pet boarding and daycare resort, has put together helpful tips and a plan for families with pets in case there is a mandatory evacuation this season. It is very important to plan ahead in case a natural disaster does strike. Since people forget about having a plan for their pets, they often get left behind. We want to prevent that from happening.
"Our pets rely on us for survival," said Pet Paradise Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Fred Goldsmith. "It is important for us to be fully prepared to protect them in case disaster strikes this hurricane season."
At Pet Paradise, we recommend all of your pets be up-to-date on all their vaccinations. For safety purposes, make sure you have a copy of their health records and proof of current shots with you while you travel. While at the vet, it would be a good idea to find out about getting a microchip for your pet. This will come in handy in case your dog gets lost or runs away. If this is not an option, make sure your pet has proper identification tags on their collar.
In case of a mandatory evacuation, it is important to know if you are going to leave your pet at a local shelter or bring them with you to a pet friendly hotel. Make sure you do your research and know ahead of time what shelter you can leave your pet at and what the requirements are. The same goes for hotels. It is important to locate pet friendly hotels outside of your area since many will fill up fast due to a mandatory evacuation.
When we prepare for hurricane season, we stock up on water and canned foods and store them in a container in case we have to suddenly leave. This is also a step we should take for our animals. Make sure you have enough food, water and medication for your pets for up to three days. This kit should also include paper towels, plastic bags for pet droppings, a leash, toys, bedding and anything else you may think is important for your animal.
Being fully prepared for hurricane season ahead of time will help tremendously in case there is a mandatory evacuation
