Pet Disaster Preparedness Seminar

Disasters strike with little to no warning and can leave heartache in its wake. Family members often become separated from one another, including the ones without a voice - our beloved pets. In recognition of National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day on May 8th, we have put together a Pet Disaster Preparedness Manual for our clients based on FEMA guidelines. These informative packets are free, packed full of life-saving advice and available via email at info@webvets.com. Don't hesitate - contact us to have one sent to you today!

We are also hosting a seminar at the end of the month on how to prepare for your pet in case of a disaster. We have some great guest speakers lined up as well as fantastic raffle prizes! 

Join us for a very special evening with Dr. Kristel Weaver and Danielle Bell, Emergency Coordinator of the San Ramon Fire Department to learn about disaster preparedness for your pet. Dr. Jay Kerr, founding partner of BRVC and current Director of the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District will be stopping by as well!

This is an opportunity for us to give back to our clients and their pets outside of the exam room. Our panel of speakers will discuss disaster preparedness for pets, pet first aid, community resources, and what you can do to help.

Date: Thursday, May 30th

Time: 6:30pm - 7:30pm

Where: Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center

Raffle Give-Away: TWO pet disaster first aid kits - one for a dog and one for a cat. The kits come in a bright orange back pack and are full of all the essential items needed for a pet first aid kit, including a bag of food, water, leash, and SO MUCH MORE!

This will be an interactive event so please come prepared to ask questions! Refreshments will be provided. Space is limited so please call to RSVP or email us at info@webvets.com by Thursday, May 23rd.

Ask the Vet: Disaster Preparedness by Kristel Weaver, DVM, MPVM

What would you do with your pets in the event of a disaster?  This month’s article discusses preparing for an emergency.  If you don’t have a plan for yourself and your family, this is a good time to take care of that too!

How can I prepare to take care of my pets in an emergency?

• Gather supplies into a portable kit.  Include items that your pets need on a daily basis or would need if they had to evacuate your house and live somewhere else.  In addition to food and water for a week, add a bowl, can opener, leash, carrier, health record/vaccine history and any medications that your pet may be taking.  If you have a cat include some disposable cat litter trays and cat litter, as well as trash bags for clean up.  Be sure to change out dry pet food every 2 months.  Canned food lasts much longer (but check expiration dates).

• Have a plan and test it out.  Think about how you would evacuate your house and where you would go.  Research where you can stay with your pet as not all evacuation shelters accept pets.  Make a list of the contact information for friends, family, or pet-sitters that might take care of your pets.  Also research local boarding kennels.  Have a practice evacuation drill with your family and pets.

• Keep identification information current.  Make sure your phone number is correct on each pet’s tag and that the contact information on their microchips is up to date.  Have your pet microchipped if he or she is not already.

• Prepare a pet first aid kit.  Include bandage material, an antibiotic cream, Benadryl (ask your vet for the appropriate dose for your pet), scissors and tweezers. You can see a list of item for starting your own pet first aid kit here.

• Place a pet alert decal near your front door.  You can get one of these for free from the ASPCA or buy them from vendors online.

• Carry current photos of your pets with you, in case you need to make a lost pet poster.

• Know where to search for lost animals.  If your pet is lost and running on the streets they could end up in the local animal shelter, humane society, or SPCA.  This is also why current ID tags and a microchip are so important. Have a list of local animal shelters and their phone numbers with your emergency kit.

Having a plan and being prepared is your best defense in case of an emergency or natural disaster. Hopefully, you will never have to implement your plan but knowing you are prepared will give you peace of mind. I hope this article inspires you to plan and prepare for your family - including the four-legged members!

Dr. Kristel Weaver is a graduate of the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis where she received both a DVM and a Master’s of Preventative Veterinary Medicine (MPVM).  She has been at Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care in San Ramon since 2007.  She currently lives in Oakland with her husband and their daughter, Hayley. If you have questions you would like Dr. Weaver to answer for future articles, please email info@webvets.com