As we’re preparing For disasters and we Think about our Family, we need to Remember our four- Legged family members Also. It’s important not To leave these guys Behind as we’ve learned From our many past Disasters… it can make A difference in life or Death for them… and You know we’ve found Out that sometimes It makes a difference Between life and death For that pet owner, Especially if they are Elderly people living alone And they are reluctant to Leave their pets. So it’s Really important to make those Plans and make those plans Ahead of time… know what You and your family are going to do ahead of time of a disaster, whether it’s your dogs or cats or horses… make those plans, have them ready so you know how to be prepared and how to react quickly. We’re going to talk today about some of the things we need… so let’s get our bag out and get our babies ready to go with us so they’ll be safe also. Of course you’ll want to pack their bowls… an extra bowl wouldn’t hurt in their bag. We want to make sure we have their collar and leash on. We want to make we have their rabies and ID on also, if your animal is microchipped, and we certainly recommend that - that they be microchipped - especially if they are going to a public shelter or to an emergency evacuation shelter, they scan a lot for those tags, so you might have a little ID tag on it here that says, “I’m microchipped” Be sure that you’ve got that handy and available and your microchip number with you. We’re going to place their collar and leash in the bag. Another important thing is their vaccination records… another good thing to have is a current picture of you and your pet… there’s no mistaking that this is my dog Roxanne and this is me so it’s always a good thing to have that with you ready and packed in your to-go kit. From our friends at Red Cross You can go online and Obtain a pet first aid kit for a nominal fee All important for your kitties – a litterbox, don’t forget the food for your dog or cat. If you’re traveling in a crate please make sure that crate is identified, as this one is. For dogs we like to Recommend you take a collapsible crate sometimes Especially for a big dog, you Can collapse that crate down And set it back up when Get to where you’re going. Don’t forget these little guys When you pack up because They’re very important to all Of us. And they’ll know something’s Afoot too and they won’t want to Be left behind either