How to Do Disaster Plans for Pet Sitters

Protect your client's pets in the case of a disaster.

A pet sitter's job is to care for clients' pets. The situation does not change in the event of a disaster. If the client's pet is with the pet sitter, it is the sitter's responsibility to ensure that the animal makes it safely through an earthquake, hurricane, fire or other disaster. Leaving pets behind is not an option. Even if you have attempted to construct a makeshift shelter for the animal, it will most likely become injured or lose its life. Organize and plan ahead for disaster situations.

Things You'll Need

• Pet crate
• Photograph of pet
• Pet supplies

Instructions

Be Prepared

1. Find an appropriate shelter for the pet in the event of an emergency. Know exactly where you will bring the pet long before a disaster strikes. Most emergency shelters do not accept pets, except for service animals, so these are usually not an option. However, many motels or hotels accept pets. Create a list of those that do.

2. Have a portable disaster kit for pets at hand at all times. Include a portable pet crate and attach a photograph of the animal with its name, sex and your phone number. Also, include bottled water, pet food, medications, up-to-date vaccination papers and other necessities like litter pans, leashes and collars.

3. Include a pet first aid kit with the disaster kit. Purchase these online or in pet stores. Pet first aid kits typically include a syringe, gauze, cold pack, hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment and muzzles. Your veterinarian should explain the proper use for each item in the kit, the American Kennel Club says.

4. Pack flashlights, batteries, baby wipes, towels and garbage bags in your car. This provides proper cleanup material for vomit, feces and urine in case the pet has an accident.

5. Make sure the animal has up-to-date tags with its name and owner information attached. Encourage your clients to have their pets microchipped for identification. Learn about the American Kennel Club's Companion Animal Recovery program (CAR), which provides around-the-clock emergency recovery service for microchipped pets.

First Aid Procedures

1. Place an injured animal that cannot walk on a hard, flat surface such as plywood or in a cardboard box. Or, with another person, hold a towel tightly on both ends and use it as a makeshift stretcher.

2. Hold the animal's mouth closed, cover the nose with your mouth and breath out to perform CPR on a pet that is not breathing. Make sure any obstructions like mucus are removed before performing CPR.

3. Apply pressure to a bleeding external wound with your hand or gauze until the bleeding stops. Do not attempt to clean the wound until the blood flow has halted completely.

4. Put the animal in a warm, quiet place if the animal is suffering from shock due to the effects of a disaster. Symptoms of shock are a quickened and thready heartbeat, dilated pupils, trouble walking due to muscle weakness and low body temperature.

Tips & Warnings

• If the client's pet shows signs of swelling in the stomach area, bloody vomit and feces, pale gums and excessive nose secretions after being injured in a disaster, the animal may be bleeding internally. Bring the pet to a veterinarian immediately.

References

• Federal Emergency Management Agency: Information for Pet Owners
• Pet Sitters International: Do You Have a Disaster Plan?
• American Kennel Club: Emergencies and First Aids

Resources

• American Kennel Club: Companion Animal Recovery