Hanna: A Warning to Us All

I don't know about everyone else, but for the last week I feel like I've been on a roller coaster with Hanna. Will she affect us or won't she? It still seems to not be a clear answer. We've been working hard to ensure the safety of our pets and the continuation of our program. Which brings me to the subject of this post: are YOUR pets ready?

Downloads Now Available
Yesterday, we updated our "Hurricane Planning for Pets" page on CoastalPetRescue.org. We now have a packing checklist and animal identification form available for download. Additionally, we've added some links you may want to keep handy as we watch next week to see what Ike will do.

Purchase a Pet First Aid Kit
Thanks to our partnership with the Savannah Chapter of the Red Cross, we have a limited supply of pet first aid kits available for sale. This can be a valuable asset if anything happens with your pets during a storm or evacuation.

Pet Identification and Microchips
Do you have proper identification for your pets? Check now to make sure your pets have a properly-fitted collar with identification tag. Instead of your pet's name, put two phone numbers on the tag. If your pet is microchipped, take the time now to make sure the microchip registry has the most current contact information for you. 24PetWatch offers free registration of all chips through their online registry. If you have had your pet chipped through one of our low-cost clinics, you can refer to your yellow registration copy to get your ID number and register your pet online or update your information.

Where Can You Go?
If an evacuation is ordered, pet shelter openings will be announced by emergency management officials. However, you should consider asking friends or family where you will be staying first if your pet can come with you. If so, plan to take a crate for them to stay in so as to not impose upon your hosts. If not, start looking now for boarding kennels or veterinary offices where you will be going to have you pet boarded nearby. Additionally, make sure you have the name, address and phone number of the nearest veterinarian in the event your pet needs care during the evacuation.

When traveling with your pet, it is important that all vaccinations are current. Make sure to have copies of all medical records from your current veterinarian. Georgia State Law regulates that all pets, dogs and cats, have a yearly rabies vaccination. If you are taking your pet to an emergency shelter, your pet will not be admitted without proof of current vaccinations. Additionally, boarding facilities usually require the bordetella vaccine to protect against kennel cough. If your pet does not travel well, talk to your veterinarian about your options to make their trip less stressful.

Please, don't even think of leaving without your pets. Our animals are too domesticated and may not survive through a storm. Many pets found in the days after Hurricane Katrina were loaded with parasites, worms and heartworm disease from drinking bad water and living in filth. Do not leave your pets chained outside either as they could drown in flooding or suffocate trying to seek shelter.



While we may be breathing a little easier today than earlier this week, we are not out of hurricane season yet. Please take the time now to reduce your stress level. Hanna gave us a good warning that anything can happen, so plan now.

Get the latest in tropical developments online at Coastalstorms.com

Hurricane Season is in Full Swing... Are You Prepared?

It seems like we just got through wondering about Fay, now we have Hanna, Ike and Josephine out in the Atlantic. It doesn't look like we'll have a boring September, to say the least.

Chatham Emergency Management Agency has started issuing releases regarding Hurricane Hanna and her impact on coastal Georgia. At this time, CEMA is in Operating Condition (OPCON) 4, the Monitoring Phase as defined by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. OPCON 4 is the first stage in advanced readiness. What this means to the rest of us is to start taking inventory of our hurricane storm plans. Some actions you can take:

• Monitor local media for updates
  
• Make sure your gas tank is full
  
• Secure important documents in a water-proof container and have in one place
  
• Take photos and videos of your home, possessions, and anything else you might need for insurance purposes
  
• Check that you have plenty of water and non-perishable food
  
• Check and replenish first aid supplies
  
• Make sure you have immediate access to flashlights and battery-powered radio and extra batteries
  
• Secure outdoor lawn furniture and loose objects
  
• Have cash on hand to use if power is out
  

I spent most of yesterday making arrangements to move pets from our rescue further inland. I can't tell you how difficult that was to try and get boarding set up. One kennel said no, another told us they would call us Wednesday afternoon if they hadn't already booked everything else. As a rescue reliant upon foster homes, I don't have the luxury of waiting until an hour or two before a storm hits to make decisions. I have to account for our pets so our foster parents can take care of their own families.

Presently, I am anticipating riding out the storm unless given an order to leave. I have my gas tank filled, extra cash on hand, checked my first aid supplies, bought extra bags of dog food and gallons of water yesterday, stocked up on non-perishable food for myself, and bought extra batteries for my flashlights. I even went and purchased an American Red Cross AM/FM/Weather radio that also has a cell phone charger to make things a little easier when power goes out. Now all that's left for me to do is to teach at least one of the dogs to play cards so we have something to do.

In all honesty, we too often take for granted a storm is going to miss us. With hurricanes, their paths are a best guess by meterologists and their computers, and always just that: a guess. Mother Nature has been known to throw curve balls from time to time (remember the St. Patrick's blackout?), so it is better to prepare now than fall victim to her whims later.

For information on how you can prepare, visit our hurricane and evacuation information site, CoastalStorms.com.