# Emergency Evacuation Plan?



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

We are getting some pretty bad storms so I have lots of time to think without a tv I'm playing different scenarios in my head that would call for me getting out of the house and how I would get my animals out too. Right now I'm thinking tornadoes, lightning strike, and fire in general. With a tornado I would have a short amount of time to gather animals and squeeze everyone into the downstairs bathroom. A fire would be more difficult. I have trained the dogs to go to the back door if the smoke alarms go off and I could just open the door to get them out and gather them up after I get the cats. The cats are more difficult. I could probably grab some of them and open a window with the hopes they would escape, but I don't think I could grab all of them I have cat carriers that are easy to access, but that doesn't help if I can't catch them. Anyone else have an escape plan or any ideas to come up with a decent one?


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## HarleyTheGSD (Feb 13, 2012)

I don't know if I have a plan exactly, but...
In case of a tornado, I have cages for all the animals in the basement.


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## angierose (Apr 20, 2009)

We have crates in the basement along with emergency food, water, leashes, and first aid stuff. The cat is confined upstairs, where there is an additional crate for him. If I'm home, the dogs wear their collars during tornado watches (they don't wear them at home usually) and I'm very aware of storms. We would have a good amount of warning in case of floods, and our house is actually on a high enough hill that it has never been underwater, even in the flood of '93. 

That's a good idea, to train them to go to the door when the fire alarm goes off.


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## Bob_McBob (Nov 15, 2012)

I guess I'm lucky in that I don't live on a flood plain, and the bad weather up here is more the kind that keeps you in your home rather than forcing an evacuation.


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

It must be hard living in areas where tornados are common.
Scary stuff......so unpredictable and destructive.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

I voted no. I do have a basement with crates incase of a tornado. Other then that i am SOL


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## angierose (Apr 20, 2009)

Tornadoes are scary, but the conditions they occur in are fairly well understood. We have sirens and great local weather coverage. Now, one over a certain size will destroy your house no matter what materials you build with, but direct hits are not common. The hail, rain, and winds that go along with tornado-causing storms can still do a lot of damage though, so we go to the basement rather than potentially be in the living room when the neighbor's tree falls through the roof.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

No evacuations here, unless there is a fire, then everyone would jump in the minivan, and take off. 

Tornados. That's our big issue in Oklahoma. Dogs wear their collars during tornado weather and everyone will go in the new tornado shelter if we have a warning. That's the plan.


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## Mikelia (Aug 29, 2012)

I think of it often but don't exactly have a plan. I have enough crates for everyone with easy access. Containers/pillowcases for the snakes. I even have a cup for my betta fish. Leashes and muzzles are easy access at all times. I keep an extra supply of water and try to keep a bag of kibble for the dogs (I feed raw). But that is about it. 
My biggest fear is getting everyone out if there was a fire. I just don't think I could - the dogs I would go through fire to find but the cats would hide and that probably wouldn't leave time to get the snakes.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Practice. Pretend there is an alarm and see how long it takes you. The cats are tough, they scatter. Dogs are easier. I like the training a behavior when the fire alarm goes off. 

In regards to emergency supplies, always have a weeks worth of food for each animal ready in a water tight container. I would also invest in some water purification tablets. Water is heavy, so the less you have to carry the better. 

Make sure that you have easy access to all your animals vaccination and microchip information. A small water proof safe is easy to grab and take with you. In it you should also keep a copy of your records, mortgage, insurance, car titles, stuff like that. Have current pictures if all of your animals, including signifying marks and coloring. 

If you have relatives that live far away, send them a copy of the same stuff so that they have it if you can't get to your safe. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## scout172 (Sep 14, 2013)

gsdsar said:


> Practice. Pretend there is an alarm and see how long it takes you. The cats are tough, they scatter. Dogs are easier. I like the training a behavior when the fire alarm goes
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


 I agree.


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## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

I once had to evacuate from a wildfire. Kind of hard to think when the winds are 35 miles and hour and heading your way, sirens screaming, and you are trying to collect 3 dogs and 3 cats. I ended up getting everyone but one cat and got out of there. After that my husband asked if I got some cloths, underware and the laptops... nope... dog food and cat litter? nope.... I felt stupid... so now I have not so much a plan but a list.


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## AngelaA6 (Jan 20, 2013)

No, not yet but I've been making a list of things I'd need for a 7 day emergency readiness kit. My old job required us to make one for work but I ended up leaving before it was finished. I just need to buy a big storage containers that you can fill up and then just grab and throw in the car and go. One for each person for 7 days (even if you don't think you won't use all of it). In our safety meeting they said either buy packaged food (like tuna in a tear package) or something with a pull tab can because everyone forgets the can opener haha XD


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

I said no because I can't think of a reason I would need to evacuate. We don't get bad storms, we are not surrounded by things that would burn just low scrub, we are not in a flood area.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I voted no as well.

The walls of my house have a double layer of concrete and underneath my laminate floors is also concrete and I have no basement. 

If there were a tornado, I would have to gather all 6 of my animals and put them in the bathroom. If there were a fire, I could get the dogs out easily, the cats would be a problem. My cats would tear me apart if I touched them while they are freaked out and at least 2 of them would hide. I often think about what would happen if there were a fire. I do not have any cat crates, only very large dog crates. If there were a fire and the cats were able to get out, chances are they would take off running and I wouldn't be able to find them.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

We have had the hurricane scare quite a few times, most kept us in our house bunkering down.. but there were a couple that we prepared for evacuation. I luck out in that I only have Titan and a boyfriend to worry about  

We generally have fair warning and time to make plans. I have a metal fold up crate, but I really want to get an easier clothe pop up one for these kinds of things. I have plenty of water, gallons and bottles, fold up portable feed dishes and his food is already in a large storage container. I have all his important documents and things in a box next to his food. I need to actually get an emergency box with extras of everything but I haven't done that yet. 

We tend to need to evacuate north and have lucked out in finding hotels that are pet friendly and even friends up in the areas we can go. If all else fails.. the military has plenty of space somewhere for us and Titan.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I see lots of people thinking along the lines of hurricanes, tornadoes, etc and it might not affect them, but what about a fire? Last night in the middle of the night lightning struck a house not far from me, everyone got out safely. What about something like a fire, when there is no warning? Fires can happen anywhere at any time.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

Living on Long Island there truly is no way to evacuate off this island unless you have a boat. I always make sure I have at least 1 unopened bag of food, some bottled water.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Living on a hill top, what I'd need to evacuate for would be a wildfire. It's a concern because there is one main road up this canyon - no outlet. Here, we're on private roads - if the one going to my house is blocked, egress depends upon where it is blocked. One fine fellow gated and locked his section of the road, another road is very very poorly maintained.
The house itself is in a pretty good situation as it has lawn on three sides and a gravel arena on the other + I'm cutting and limbing up the juniper on the rest of the property. Got some done this spring; more next fall or next spring. I also have a pond and a well for water so long as the power lasts.

If a flood takes out the main road -- well, we're stuck up here or else they build a way around it.

When I lived in tornado country, I had a relatively safe area in the house & a small stash of food and water there. No evacuation plan.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

I have been asked that question and have several times left someone with a strange look on their face when I tell them some of the items and plans that I have. That is until I explain that one of my "jobs" is that I am on my county Animal Support Team (under FL State / FEMA) and the county Pet-Friendly Evacuation Shelter Coordinator.

So yes, I am pretty well prepared with an emergency evacuation plan for the whole family and our animals. Do I ever feel 100% prepared? No. Different circumstances can equal different problems including some that no one imagines. 

Hasn't been updated yet this year but may be of some help to someone putting together a plan ...
Emergency Plans for Your Pet(s) | Animal Services 2000


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