5 Tips to prepare your dogs for a hurricane

The arrival of June means Hurricane season is here! It’s never too early to think about preparing in case one lands where you live.

When Hurricane Ian hit southwest Florida in 2022, the devastation it left in its wake will be felt for years to come. It was the first time since I moved to the sunshine state that I evacuated my home and rode out the storm elsewhere. It was an intensely emotional experience as I closed the door to my home for the last time, not knowing if I’d ever be back. My husband and I dodged a bullet as the damage to our property was minor, but so many lost so much and others lost everything.

In the days leading up to Ian making landfall, there was much to do to prepare. A hurricane’s path is unpredictable and Ian kept everyone, including the meteorologists on their toes. There comes a point during the storm when evacuating is no longer an option and you must ride it out. With 3 dogs who rely on us to care for them, we knew we needed to be overly prepared. If the worst case scenario occurred, we would be in serious trouble. 

Here are five tips we took to help prepare ourselves and our dogs for a hurricane –

1.     Have enough food and bottled water for each pet for at least a week.

2.     If your pet is taking any medication, stock up several weeks supply. It may be awhile before mail service resumes after a storm.

3.     Print your pet’s vet records especially their rabies vaccination. If you do evacuate your home, be sure you know where the closest vet hospital is to where you are staying in case of an emergency.

4.     If you are planning on staying at a shelter, you will be required to keep your pets in a crate. Be sure to pack crate pads, a favorite toy, dog bowls leashes and poop bags.

5.     Make sure you have updated tags on your dogs’ collars with their name, address and a phone number you can be reached at.

Emergency shelters are required to allow pets. In addition, hotels in areas declared a state of emergency are required to waive any pet policies, including fees, limitations on the number of pets as well as the weight of each pet.

When my husband, I and our 3 dogs evacuated, we stayed at a Hampton Inn. They took very good care of us, giving us a corner suite that included a kitchenette. We had no idea how long it would be before we could go home, and they allowed us to stay as long as we needed. We were in good company as many of the other guests in the hotel had also fled there with their dogs.

While leaving my home and everything I owned behind was hard, I don’t regret making that decision. Had Ian landed just 20 miles north, our experience would have been much different.