Four Ways to Protect Your Pets During an Emergency

Are You Prepared?

While living in Miami for 10 years, the prospect of evacuating was omnipresent from June until September. After I moved from hurricane-prone Florida to the Northeast United States, my rabbit emergency kit became a travel kit.

There is no wrong way to assemble a travel kit as part of disaster preparedness for your bunnies—unless that “strategy” is not to prepare one at all.

I occasionally run informal polls in a bunny group I moderate online and was surprised to find how many caregivers never anticipated emergencies that might affect their bunnies. More than 70% of respondents were not ready to evacuate with their pets, and the vast majority (85%) of those had no intent to form a disaster preparedness plan that considered their pets.

Natural disasters are increasingly frequent and more intense than those recorded in the past. A 2017 article in The Economist stated that since 1970 the number of disasters worldwide has more than quadrupled to around 400 a year. Less serious types of weather- and climate-related events, those that cause at least one death or a set amount of monetary damage, have increased as well. Hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, mud slides, ice storms, outbreaks of infectious diseases, lightning strikes, and floods are only a few of the reasons authorities might declare an emergency requiring evacuation. There are also human-made reasons to evacuate, such as rioting, industrial disasters and chemical spills, wide-spread power outages, and still other more frightening scenarios we might not anticipate. Between these and the inevitability of home disasters such as contaminated ground or municipal water, insect and rodent infestations, house fires, failures of important appliances like air conditioners and furnaces, and burst pipes, there are still events that we could not foresee. Despite that none of us knows the future, inevitably an emergency will affect our pets. For example, my first “evacuation” with pets occurred when the air conditioner in my rental stopped working during a hot summer in Florida.

During an emergency, knowing where to pick up vital supplies on the go is important. For example, farm and garden supply chains are a go-to for reasonably priced litter, hay, and pellets.

1. Assemble a Travel Kit
   You need more than your carrier to travel with your bunny. The cornerstone of my travel kit is a box or bag of hay and a litter bin that doubles as a storage tote. A bag of pellets, a bag of litter, a bowl for water, towels, blankets, and your emergency medical kit all go into the litter bin. Whatever doesn’t fit in the bin can be packed separately. When you reach your refuge, unpack the litter bin and add litter and hay, and your litter box is ready for your bunnies. Water is also important to bring; most destinations will have water, but keeping some in your kit helps for longer trips.
2. Make Notes for First Responders
   A sticker placed on your front door that indicates there are animals in your home means first responders will look for your pets in the event of a fire, gas leak, a break-in, or any other hazard during which you are not home or are incapable of helping. Some municipalities, security companies, and rescues actually provide these notice stickers if you ask. You should include how many animals, the types of animals in your home, and the contact information of your veterinarian. If you evacuate in advance, you can mark the sticker that your home has been evacuated; this can be immensely helpful to emergency personnel who are looking for incapacitated stragglers. You can also put a card in your wallet indicating you have pets at home. On this card, indicate preferred caregivers and their contact information so responders can recruit them to care for your fuzzy family in the event you are in an accident or are incapacitated for any other reason.
3. Plan Where You’ll Go Early
   Researching in advance which hotels and shelters accept bunnies can be tricky since many that accept cats and dogs might not allow rabbits. Get in touch with family and friends and ask who would take you and your pets in an emergency. You can also call rescues and veterinarians for advice on boarding your bunnies. Just knowing a safe place to board your bunnies in advance can reduce stress of unforeseen events such as fumigating your house or waiting for your home to dry out after a burst pipe.
4. Microchip Your Rabbit!
   Most house bunnies are not microchipped, and most of us never anticipate a need to chip our rabbits. However, getting your rabbit chipped dramatically increases the likelihood you will be reunited with your pet if you are separated in the chaos of an evacuation or other emergency. Pets can also get lost at crowded shelters. You should also ask your vet about what to keep in your emergency kit. Your vet can prescribe any medications they deem appropriate and give demonstrations based on their recommendations.