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As thousands of families struggled with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many of them were also missing pets. Many people have plans to deal with emergencies for themselves, but fail to make arrangements for the animal members of their family. Whether it’s a small emergency such as a house fire, or a large emergency like a tornado, hurricane, flood or manmade disaster, advanced planning always gives the best chance of keeping all of your family members safe.

Preparation
Start by talking with your family about what you will do in various situations. Responses to localized emergencies like fires, small storms and power outages will likely differ from emergency plans for large scale emergencies such as hurricanes, tornadoes and manmade attacks. Plan evacuation routes to designated meeting points.

These will vary based on the situation. If dealing with flooding, you’ll want to take refuge in the highest room location in your home. For a tornado, you’ll want to take family and pets to the lowest level of your home. If dealing with a chemical or airborne emergency, the Red Cross advises families to go to an interior room without windows that is above ground level (in the case of a chemical threat, an above-ground location is preferable because some chemicals are heavier than air, and may seep into basements even if the windows are closed).

All pets should have collars and tags with easily visible identification. ID tags should have your pet’s name, your phone number and important medical information. If possible, list a mobile phone number. If you’re not at home when danger strikes, calls may not reach you at a home phone.

For local emergencies, it is important to display an animal rescue sign or sticker so that responders know that there are pets in your home. Your rescue sign should contain the types and names of pets in your house, as well as veterinarian name and contact information. Use your best judgment about placing additional contact information on the sign. While you want to give emergency officials enough information to safely rescue you pets, you must be cautious not to expose information which might be abused by solicitors or passers by.

Finally, make copies of contact, evacuation route and emergency plan information for all members of your family. Store them in Ziploc style waterproof bags so that they will stay dry in case of flooding or water damage.

Where to Go
After you take care of basic preparation, you should agree on two meeting places: one near your home for emergencies such as fires, and another outside of your immediate neighborhood if you must evacuate your home. Similarly, it’s wise to designate two emergency contacts. The first should be in your neighborhood, the second should be out of town. During large scale disasters it can often be easier to reach people who are not in your immediate area. Make sure all of your family members memorize both phone numbers.

If it is necessary to leave your home, you may not be able to bring your pet to rescue facilities with your family. To prevent permanent separation, identify a boarding kennel or shelter in your immediate area that provides emergency care or foster care for pets. Outside of your area, have the name and number of hotels, friends or relatives that will accept your pets. By having these numbers and arrangements in place, you will be able to reunite with your pets even if you are not able to return to your home.

Making an Emergency Pack
It’s easy to prepare an emergency pack for you and your pet. Each pack should contain 3 days worth of supplies. Supplies should be stored in a backpack as close to an exit as possible.

For each member of your family, your pack should include:
*Batteries
*Battery powered flashlight
*Battery powered radio
*Blanket
*3-5 days worth of water
*Energy bars, canned nutrition shakes or other food which does not require cooking or refrigeration
*Baby wipes
*Breathing mask
*Plastic sheeting
*Duct tape
*First Aid Kit and guide book
*Light stick
*Spray paint
*Whistle or air horn
*3-5 day supply of Tylenol or Aspirin, as well as any prescription medication
*Recent photos if family members become separated

Your pet’s supply kit should include:
*Easy open canned or dry food. If packing dry food, you may wish to store it in large Ziploc style plastic bags. For birds, a small, tupperware container is recommended
*Bottled water supply for your pet
*Disposable litter trays
*Pet feeding dishes
*Extra leash
*Photocopies of medical records
*3-5 day supply of any medicine your pet requires
*Litter or paper toweling
*A traveling bag or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet
*Recent photos of your pets if you become separated

Remember to change food, water and medicine every three to six months to maintain freshness and effectiveness.

Disasters, whether small, large, natural or manmade can be terrifying. By having a solid plan in place, emergency contacts and disaster packs ready to go, you can give your entire family the best chance of surviving together.

About the Author

Jenn Lanka is a writer for http://www.companionnet.com – a website for pets and the people who love them. Visit for pet news, pet care tips, dog treat recipes and more

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Purchasing a puppy for your family is a very big decision. It should never be approached casually, or lightly. A new pet becomes part of your family. You should do everything you can to educate yourself about the breed of puppy you are considering and its personality. You should also explore how much grooming or maintenance each new addition to your family requires.

The worst thing you can do when selecting a puppy is simply choosing one because you think it is cute. Most dogs are cute. Cuteness alone does not make a good pet. Even the sweetest looking dog can bring havoc to your home if you are not set up and prepared for it.

Each breed of dog should be investigated. You do not want a dog with herding instincts around small children. They may truly take to rounding up the kids and nip and bite at their heels during play. Breeds which have the hunter instinct in them may not work well in homes where there are other pets, such as cats, hamsters, rabbits and birds. Dogs which require constant grooming may not work well in a farming family, or living outside. Research the history of the breed you are considering before you purchase your animal. If you are purchasing a beagle to hang out in the house, you may be upset when he decides to take off after that aroma that is beckoning to him from the woods.

Terriers are favored choices by pet owners because this breed comes in various sizes, from large to small and they have much personality. The Cairn Terrier, for instance is wire-haired. This breed sheds very little. You should keep in mind the Carin was bred to be a ratter. You should be prepared for a pet that loves to dig and burrow. This breed is very trainable, and if you supply him a patch of ground for digging all should be well. However, if you plan on keeping a Carin in a quiet apartment complex, you should keep in mind this breed is prone to barking. Find a breed which matches the personality of your home. Be realistic and do not assume you can change a dogs nature.

When you go to observe a litter of pups, you should take in the kennel cleanliness and the health of the parents. If the kennel is smelly, dirty and unkempt, you can assume the mother dog may not be in the best of health or she probably hasn’t had the best care. You should never assume because the mother is thin she is unhealthy. Most mother dogs do go through a thin stage after birth and during the weaning process. However, signs of malnutrition are obvious. If the mother dog is in bad shape, you should not purchase a pup from her litter. If she is aggressive toward you, you should also reconsider purchasing one of her pups.

Don’t jump right in and start picking up the pups. When you go to
choose your pet, you should observe him as he plays with the rest
of his litter, first. Is there a pup that dominates his family?
Is he pushing the others aside, or being rough toward his
siblings? This pup should be considered the alpha dog of the
litter. This dog knows who he is and what he wants. You should
keep in mind these dogs tend to push their boundaries. If you
purchase one, you will have to be very diligent with your
training. He can never assume he is dominant over you, or the
children in your family. These dogs do make wonderful pets for
the family who has enough time to give them the consistent
loving but firm attention he will require. However, they can be
stubborn.

What about the pup who is cowering in the corner? This pup may
be the runt, or the shy one in his family. If you are wanting to
purchase a pet to serve as family protection, this dog is
probably not for you. This dog will scare easily and will most
probably beat you to the hiding place if an intruder bursts into
your home! However, it should be said these pets do work well
with children. They tend to be gentle, and they will come out of
their shell if they are lavished with love, praise and the proper
training. These dogs are lovers, not fighters. However, if these
pups are not worked with, their shyness will turn to fear. This
could lead to snippy dogs, or ones that actually bite. Children
should not be allowed to mistreat animals, especially ones which
are timid or shy by nature. Their sweet, loving pet may turn on
them.

If there is a pup in the litter who is barking at your presence, you should carefully observe it. Is it barking simply because you are a stranger? Is it barking because he wants your attention? Or, is it barking because he is afraid? If he is afraid, this dog could possibly grow up to be aggressive and possibly dangerous. Fearful dogs protect themselves through barking and barring of their teeth. If the pup is aggressive, it will most probably grow up to be even more so. Just because a dog barks doesn’t mean he is aggressive, though. Some dogs bark to be friendly. You should be able to tell if the pup you are observing is simply saying "hello" or "get out of here and leave me alone."

The middle of the road pups are usually the best. These are the pups which come up to you. They are friendly. They may playfully pull on your shoe strings or climb upon your lap and start licking your face. These puppies are already trusting by nature. They are willing to socialize with you and they want to make friends.

You should take each pup you are considering purchasing away from its litter to a different area for observation. How does it react away from its family? Is it jumpy and nervous? Is he confident and happy? Does it cower? Do loud noises send it scurrying to hide, or is he simply startled and then full of investigation instincts? When you talk to the pup, does he seem interested in you, or is he simply ignoring you and doing his own thing? All of these little clues will give you an inside peek as to the personality of the pup.

When you hold the pup like a baby, what is his reaction? Does he struggle, lash madly and try to nip at you? If so, this pup is probably very stubborn and will require a firm hand to get it to obey. Does the pup stare at you wild eyed and it fright? This pup is probably very skittish and will require a lot of love and coaxing. The pup who tries to right itself, relaxes, then tries again, off and on while you are holding him should be considered a middle of the line dog. This dog should be fairly easy to train with the proper care and training.

Try walking away from the pup. If he doesn’t follow you and is more interested in doing his own thing, this dog will be very independent. He may not be interested in training at all, and it may be a challenge to get this pup to focus on you. If you call him, he looks up and continues about his business, this is also a sign that you have a little prince or princess on your hands who may be oblivious to rules.

Choosing a puppy for the family should be an adult decision. Children can easily be swayed to choose a pet on a whim. Parents can easily check out the litter first and choose a suitable pup or two for the children to choose from. You should also keep in mind that children will be happy with a pet you simply bring home, even if they had no say in the selection process.

About the Author

Author Ian White is founder of Dog-Breeders.biz. This extensive online directory includes listings by private breeders, kennel clubs, and occasional hobby or family breeders. Those seeking dogs can locate and match with appropriate breeders. Dog lovers and breeders can find more information on the website at: http://www.dog-breeders.biz

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