(Published in May 2008)

An Ounce of Preparation Is Worth a Pound of Cure
Survivors of disasters share their tips on how to prep for emergencies.
By Scott and Ann Springer

Dawn Lindley and her dogs have survived multiple natural disasters including earthquakes, wildfires, and mudslides. As the manager of Love's Pets II, a retail shop in Agoura Hills, Calif., she also helped others plan and prepare for evacuation during the last year's fires in Malibu, Calif. which is only miles from the pet shop.

"You don't have time to think about what you need," Lindley says. "You have to have a lightweight pack already to go so you can grab it on the run when you have two hours to put your whole life in the trunk of your car."

Justine Roig, the owner of Chiwawa Gaga in New Orleans, La., can relate to the mayhem during an emergency evacuation. She and her pets evacuated during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. "We thought we'd be gone for two days but we were away for six weeks," Roig says.

Fortunately, none of Roig's pets or her customers' pets died in the hurricane. But many of them now shop for products that would help them prepare for the next big storm, if it were to strike again.

"People come in and see a life vest or a travel bowl set and say, ‘I wish I had that when we were evacuated,'" Roig says. "They're becoming more prepared since the disaster.
It's more on people's minds."

Preparedness Products
The bare essentials for pets during an emergency aren't much different than those for their owners. Dogs need food, water and shelter, Roig says.

Retailers should encourage dog owners to store a small bag of dog food that they could grab in a hurry, Lindley says. This bag should be rotated before it ages to keep it fresh, she adds.

Freeze-dried foods may also be a good choice for customers creating a canine emergency preparation kit, Lindley suggests.

Travel kits may be a great way to keep all of the emergency supplies in a handy, easy-to-carry case, says Shannon McWilliams, the vice president of marketing for Petmate in Arlington, Texas.

"It can also be used when you head off to Grandma's house or to the park," McWiliams says. Look for a bag that holds not just the dishes but also has pockets for toys, a leash, and any medications a pet may be taking, he adds.

A kennel can offer a pet a sense of home while it's in a temporary home. "It's something that is familiar to them in an unfamiliar environment," McWilliams says. "The kennel will be their safe place, or their happy place, to relieve their anxiety in an unfamiliar environment."

A list of pet-friendly hotels, placed inside the kit, may come in handy if a customer is experiencing an unplanned evacuation, Roig says.

A small first-aid kit with antiseptic wash and bandages may be essential if the dog is injured in the crisis, Lindley says.

It may be wise for a dog owner to have the contact information for the pet's veterinarian in the emergency kit in case of an injury or illness during an emergency, says Marcy Ellenbogen, the owner of DonMar Enterprises in Burbank, Calif.

Favorite toys, treats or a blanket can also help provide comfort to a dog experiencing anxiety and stress, McWilliams says.

"After the Malibu fires, customers who lost their homes in the fires came in and bought toys, bedding, and other comfort items," Lindley says. "After living through it once, those customers now know what they needed to have but didn't the first time around."

Disasters can strike on a smaller scale in the case of a house fire of a dog owner. An emergency rescue sticker placed in the front window can alert firemen or other rescue workers that a pet is in the home, Ellenbogen says. "A pet can't take care of itself in a disaster, so we as the responsible pet parent must do so," Ellenbogen says.

Retailer Readiness
"Sixty percent of the country has vulnerability to some type of disaster," McWilliams says. "Preparing for these disasters is one of the most important things a pet parent can do."

From the Gulf Coast to Tornado Country, retailers who provide timely reminders to their customers provide a necessary service to dogs and their owners. "You have to remind people to do it, or it's just not something they think about," Lindley says.

Retailers can help customers prepare for the types of disasters that may hit their areas by creating checklists of products for a kit or showcasing a pre-made kit on an endcap, McWilliams says.

Creating an emergency supply section can highlight the importance of these products and trigger customers to be prepared, Ellenbogen says.

Using signage that says, "Are you prepared?" will make customers ask themselves if they're ready for the next "big one," McWilliams suggests. "If they look at the checklist and see they've got three of the six items on the list, they'll say, ‘I should pick up those last few items now so that I'll be ready.'"

Preparedness Checklist for Canine Owners
crate
small-sized bag of food
72 hours supply of water
travel bowls
medications
toys
treats
leash
pet emergency rescue stickers for your home
first-aid kit
veterinarian contact info
listing of dog-friendly hotels in area
crate or kennel