SPL PETS
Hurricane Prep Plan A Must for Your Pet Editor’s Note: This issue we introduce Pet Tales, a new pet column by holistic pet expert and writer Angela Ardolino. She has been caring for animals for over 20 years and operates a rescue farm, Fire Flake Farm, in Lutz, FL. She is also the owner of Beautify the Beast, a natural pet salon and shop. She is the founder of CBD Dog Health which provides high quality, all-natural medical cannabis products designed specifically for pets. Hurricane season is here so having a hurricane preparedness plan for your pet is vital. As they say: Prepare for the worst, Hope for the best. Several years ago, in August, Hurricane Irma was a category 5 storm barreling straight toward us. The whole Tampa Bay area was in a state of panic. The families who lived along the coast headed inland or traveled north, mandatory evacuations and shelters were set up, and pets could feel the anxious energy in the air. Even more troubling — there were not nearly enough shelters that accepted pets. Thankfully for my city (but woefully for others), the hurricane took a sudden turn and my city was not directly hit. However, it was clear that we needed an evacuation plan and ways to keep pets calm.
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StPeteLifeMag.com
September/October 2020
Pet Tales
Step 1: Make A Plan Leaving your pets out of your evacuation plan can put you, first responders, and your pets at risk. Although hurricanes often come with fair warning, disaster can strike at any time and without a plan in place, you may not remember everything you need to do when acting in a panic. Before a hurricane hits, sit down with a pen and paper and make a plan. My family has two plans: the evacuation plan, and the plan to ride the storm out at home. For example: if a storm is a category 4 or higher and we are in the direct path, we will evacuate. This takes the “Should we? Shouldn’t we?” level of anxiety away. If the storm is lower than a category 3, I know my home will be structurally sound and we will be safe to stay. When making the evacuation plan, start by researching petfriendly hotels where you can stay, or locate a pet-friendly shelter in your area. A full list of pet-friendly shelters can be found at https://www.bringfido.com. Remember, pet-friendly shelters and hotels will fill up fast, so plan two or three backup locations. If there is no way that you can take your pet with you, boarding your pet at a safe facility (like Beautify the Beast or Fire Flake
