Pet Emergency / Disaster Relief

Pet Identification

• Make sure that your cat, dog or other pet is wearing a collar and identification that is up-to-date and visible at all times. The City of Culver City requires that all dogs have current licenses, rabies vaccinations, be spayed/neutered and microchipped.  Although it is the law in Culver City that a dog must be microchipped, a microchip is a good idea for cats as well.
• If your pet was adopted from a shelter or rescue organization, make sure the registration has been transferred to you and is not still with the shelter or adoption group. 
• Put your cell phone number and at least one other contact number on your pet's tag. Include at least one telephone number of a friend or relative outside your immediate area in case you are forced to leave your home.
• Keep your veterinarian's phone number in an easily accessible place for use and include a telephone number of a 24-hour emergency veterinary clinic.
  

Disaster Kit

• Stock up on non-perishable supplies for your pet if you are forced to evacuate.  Do this ahead of time and keep everything accessible and stored in sturdy containers, such as covered laundry baskets or trash containers. 
• Make sure they are not too heavy and can be carried easily.
• Dry pet food and water should be stored in air-tight containers and replaced every 6 months. 
• It is also a good idea to keep a kit in your car in case you have to evacuate quickly.
• Your kit should contain food and water for at least five days for each pet, bowls and a manual can opener if you are packing canned pet food.  
• Keep an extra gallon of water on hand if your pet has been exposed to chemicals or flood waters and needs to be rinsed. 
• Medications should be kept in a waterproof container, together with a pet first-aid book, together with copies of medical records.
• Keep a container filled with a cat litter box, litter, litter scoop, and bags to collect your pets' waste, as well as sturdy leashes, harnesses, and carriers to transport pets safely and to ensure that your pets can't escape.
• Carriers should be large enough to allow your pet to stand comfortably, turn around, and lie down and should contain need blankets or towels for bedding and warmth. 
• Add current photos of you with your pets and descriptions of your pets to help others identify them in case you and your pets become separated. 
• Take pet beds, grooming items and toys, along with written information about your pets' feeding schedules, medical conditions and behavior issues.  

Arrangements

• Arrange in advance a safe place to stay, and if you must evacuate take your pet.   
• Don't wait for a mandatory evacuation order.  If you stay home, choose a safe area of your home where you can all stay together. Make that safe area animal friendly. Close off or eliminate unsafe nooks and crannies where frightened pets may try to hide. Move dangerous items such as tools or toxic products. Be sure to close your windows and doors, stay inside, and follow the instructions from your local emergency management office. Bring your pets indoors as soon as local authorities say trouble is on the way.
• If you have a room you can designate as a "safe room," put your emergency supplies in that room in advance, including your pet's crate and supplies. Have any medications and a supply of pet food and water inside watertight containers, along with your other emergency supplies.
• If there is an open fireplace, vent, pet door, or a similar opening in the house, close it off with plastic sheeting and strong tape.
• Don't come out until you know it's safe.        
• Your home may be a very different place after the emergency is over, and it may be hard for your pets to adjust. Don't allow your pets to roam loose. Familiar landmarks and smells might be gone, and your pet will probably be disoriented. Pets can easily get lost in such situations. 
• While you assess the damage, keep dogs on leashes and cats in carriers inside the house. If your house is damaged, your pets could escape.
• Be patient with your pets after a disaster. Try to get them back into their normal routines as soon as possible.
• Be ready for behavioral problems caused by the stress of the situation. If these problems persist, or if your pet seems to be having any health problems, talk to your veterinarian.
• There may be times that you can't get home to take care of your pets. Find a trusted neighbor, friend, or family member and give him a key to your house. Make sure your back-up caretaker knows your pets' whereabouts and habits.  Let your back-up caretaker know where your pets' food is and where you normally feed them and keep their water bowl, and if they need any medication. 
• If you use a pet sitting service, find out in advance if they will be able to help in case of an emergency.

If a disaster occurs during hot weather:

• Never leave your pets in a parked car even with the car running and air conditioner on.
• If the humidity is too high, animals are unable to cool themselves, and their temperature will skyrocket to dangerous levels very quickly.
• Don't rely on a fan. They don't cool off pets as effectively as they do people.
• Provide lots of shade and water.
• Limit exercise on hot days to early morning or evening hours, and be especially careful with pets with white-colored ears.  They are more susceptible to skin cancer, and short-nosed pets who, because of their short noses, typically have difficulty breathing.
• Asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet's paws, so walk your dog on the grass if possible.
• Look for signs of heatstroke, such as heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack.  Treat suspected heatstroke immediately. Move your pet into the shade or an air-conditioned area. Apply ice packs or cold towels to her head, neck, and chest or run cool (not cold) water over her. Let your pet drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes and then head directly to a veterinarian. 
  

Electricity Outage:

• If the electricity goes out during an emergency, keep your pets with you.  If it's summer, even just an hour or two in the sweltering heat, whether outdoors in a yard or inside an apartment, mobile home, or house, can be dangerous. Find a pet friendly hotel. Even in winter, it is not safe to leave a pet in an unheated house.

Lost and Founds Pets

Pet Care

Pet Emergency / Disaster Relief