Pets: Pet Prep for Weather Emergencies

In October 2017, we were enjoying a Northern California camping paradise in Bodega Bay. Our RV was parked at one of our favorite Sonoma County, California, spots with our dogs. But overnight, our relaxed moods turned into panic when wildfires began all over the county. This was one of our first serious emergencies while traveling with our pets. And it forever changed the way we prepared for emergencies—especially weather emergencies—while traveling in our RV.

Emergencies have a way of making you feel helpless and panicked. Yes, we had our dogs’ vet records, microchip numbers, and other papers securely packed in our vehicle and RV. But this was only a small part of what we should have prepared ahead. And we hope our lessons help other pet parents prep now. It can mean your life and your pet’s life.

Since our family is from Florida, we were familiar with hurricanes and how to prepare. But traveling all over the US has shown us that every area of the country has different weather emergencies. And the first step for pet prep is to know and educate ourselves on what the weather is like in the area we are traveling to. Tornados, floods, earthquakes, hail, lightning, snow, and thunderstorms are just the beginning of emergencies you may face.

There are endless weather apps we can download, and it’s always a good idea to have a fully charged weather radio handy for those times when we have no cell or internet service. But once we know what weather emergencies we should be prepared for with our pets, what can we do to be ready ahead of time?

Evacuation

Evacuation may be a necessary and required action during an emergency. If we have to leave our RV, we must take our pets. Make a list of nearby pet-friendly hotels, pet-friendly shelters, and alternate pet-friendly lodging. Many shelters do not allow pets. Don’t get turned away with nowhere to go.

Because we travel full-time, sometimes we can be in a different state each week. After almost seven years on the road, occasionally, we have forgotten to let our friends and family know where we are. Enabling our location on our cellular devices for specific people gives me peace of mind that they know where we are at all times, especially if we have to evacuate at a moment’s notice.

Water is Life

So many areas have trouble during normal days with safe water supplies for their residents. When we were camping in Texas near Big Bend National Park, we were faced with the realization that safe water was hard to come by. Not only did we have no extra water, but we had no backup water filters. Since our dog Digby was ill, it was imperative to find water we could trust.

We never made this mistake again. Space is hard to come by in an RV, but where you can pack extra water, fill up that space! Camping World has many great water filter and water system options available for preparing ahead. We keep extra water not only in our RV, but in our tow vehicle as well.

Making and Activating Your Emergency Plan

It’s important to discuss different scenarios ahead of time. During an especially torrential rainstorm in Kentucky, weather conditions deteriorated quickly. While listening to our weather radio, we heard the orders to take shelter. Our RV was not a safe place to be.

However, we remembered seeing tornado shelter signs at the campground. So that was where we went. We already had this plan ahead of time. Making a plan and knowing when to activate it can mean your life and your pets’ lives. Part of that plan should include packing things like extra collars, leashes, and pet wipes. Extra towels, blankets, and a first-aid kit are great supplies to always have on hand … and paw.

Emergency Pet Care

If your pet is in need of vet care during a weather emergency, do you know where to go? When traveling, we make a list and research vets, animal hospitals, and even mobile vets in the area we are traveling to. We have had to make quick decisions, and this step has saved us time and money. Remember that during a weather emergency, vets may not be open. There are also apps for your mobile device to contact a vet that may be an option.

Take Care of You

It is true that many pet parents put their pets first. But don’t forget to take care of yourself. Your pets need you. Pack an emergency bag for yourself as well as for your pet. Have what you need so that you can take care of others.

Weather emergencies can be scary for us and even scarier for our pets. We can never prepare for all scenarios, but having your plans and supplies in place can mean saving your life and your pet’s life. Travel puts us in a unique position when dealing with weather emergencies. So check your route, check the weather, and make detours when needed for safety reasons!

Secret Tip!

Good Sam TravelAssist covers your pets, too! With the Premier Membership, Good Sam helps pet parents during emergencies. Services include boarding, pet return if lost, and concierge benefits like locating groomers and finding pet-friendly resorts and hotels.