May 12 is National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day.  Would you know what to do and how to keep your pets safe if disaster strikes?  If the answer is no, don’t despair. Many pet parents are great about planning for the day-to-day, but haven’t made a plan yet for major life events.  The good news is it’s never too late to start.

Whether you live in a part of the country prone to earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, flash flooding, or fire, there is information out there to help you cope.  The Humane Society of the United States website is a great place to start and offers a wealth of data on most everything including creating a disaster plan for your pet, http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/animal_rescue/tips/pets-disaster.html?credit=web_id93480558.  You can also access very helpful, downloadable pamphlets on disaster preparedness for pets, horses and livestock at http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/animal_rescue/tips/disaster_preparedness_1.html.

Another way to be prepared to is get trained on Pet First Aid/CPR.  Harley’s Hope Foundation used to offer these training classes, but the Red Cross has since changed the format to offer all training online, https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/first-aid/cat-dog-first-aid.  Not only is this training critical to keeping your pets healthy, it’s fun, too!  We’ve included photos of past training classes to tempt you to sign up.

The bottom line is your pet’s well-being is in your hands.  Don’t wait until disaster strikes to figure out what to do. Get trained, make a plan, and keep your best friend safe.