What about my pet?

     One thing that isn't really touched on by survivalists are our beloved pets.  Most survivalists concentrate on civilization coming to an end, so the assumption is that pets are expendable at that point.  And if that does happen, they may very well be.  But because I'm suggesting storage for a number of reasons, I will offer some suggestions for pet storage as well. Food is obvious and for pets fairly easy to store, it's usually dry.

     But don't forget pet meds.  Even if your pet isn't on medication now, think about what could happen and plan ahead.  There are veterinary supply catalogs that you can order meds out of, such as Lambriar Vet Supply.  Dog and Cat antibiotics etc. will need a prescription from a Vet.  Fish antibiotics however do not require one and they are the exact same thing as what we take.  You can buy everything from staples and pullers to hemostats, forceps and scalpels.

     One thing that is a very good idea to have on hand is a nursing drug guidebook such as, "Nursing 2008 Drug Handbook", which is highly recommended.  This book can help you to not mix medications that will cause lethal reactions, etc. 


     So what do you do in the worse case scenario.  Some kind of disaster has forced you to evacuate.  You grab what you can and run.  What about your pets?  If you are hopeful about coming back in the near future you can just put pans of food and water out.  Fill up the bathtub with water for the dogs and sinks with water for the cats.  I wouldn't recommend bowls for the water as they are usually fairly easy to tip over and then the water will be wasted.

     Also with cats don't forget to put out extra cat litter.  An easy quick way to make a temporary litter pan is to put a garbage bag in a cardboard box, tape the sides of the bag to the box if you have the tape.  Maybe fold it under the box if you don't.  They may or may not scratch through the plastic, but this should keep the mess and clean up under some kind of control.

     But what if you are never going to be able to come back to your home?  This is a heartbreaking decision that could very well happen to you.  If there is a natural disaster, the shelters may not be in operation.  The roads could have been destroyed so you are forced to walk out.  A dog is easy, just put him on the leash and away you go.   A cat on the other hand is harder.  Not very many cats are leashed trained and those that are, are used to a little stroll around the yard.  I don't know of any cat that will walk on a leash for miles by your side. 

     If you were able to bike out, you could possibly attach a carrier to the bike to carry your cat.  Or another way could be to backpack your cat out like this guy.      In order for this to work however you would have to start your cat out hiking with you quite awhile beforehand to get them used to it.   And not all cats may be up to the challenge.  Cats have different personalities just like humans and some could not handle the stress.

     And then we come to the heartbreaking decision.  If we are not able to take our pets with us (most likely a cat) what do we do if the shelters are not running, the whole town is evacuated?  Or heaven forbid, our government collapses into anarchy.  In a last case scenario, I would suggest leaving down all food and water you can, then leave a window open.   Cats are very self reliant and given the chance to hunt for their food, become very proficient in a short amount of time. 

     If in the worse case scenario social order has broken down, how do you justify saving your pet?  Cats are very efficient small game hunters.  I have had cats bring home mice, gophers and snakes to mention a few.   In a world without grocery stores, an animal that keeps the vermin population down, could be worth their weight in gold.  Dogs of course are the guards and can be trained to be a hunting partner.  When I lived out in the middle of nowhere we had a sweet little beagle cross dog named Brandy.  She loved everyone and everyone loved her.  One day my best friend came over while I was gone and knocked on the door.  She told me later that the most ferocious growling came from inside the house and Brandy slunk slowly out of the petdoor in attack mode.  Which promptly disappeared when she realized who it was. haha  But the point is, for the most part, the most loving of dogs takes his job as guard serious when the need arises.

     I will end this on a positve note.  Yes it can be more difficult to provide for a pet in an emergency situation.  But with a little (or a lot of) planning you can give your pet the best shot at surviving a disaster.