Don't forget our four-legged friends!

UPDATE: A second Pet First Aid Class has been scheduled for Monday, April 29 from 6pm-9:30pm. The first class filled up quick, so don't miss your chance to help your furry family members stay safe and healthy. Sign up today!

When we talk about preparedness, we're usually talking about people. Whether it's putting together that emergency kit or knowing what to do if a loved one needed first aid, most people think of their fellow humans. That's not a bad thing, of course, but many of us have other family members we should be considering as well.

This is our Greyhound, Jinx, a few years ago. Like his daddy,
he has a little more grey hair these days, and he tests our
pet first aid skills with the multiple pills he takes each night!

April is Pet First Aid Month, and the Red Cross is here to make sure you're ready to help out our furry friends as well as your human ones! In addition to the tips and checklists available on the website, we offer Pet First Aid Classes on a regular basis! I set out to write this blog as a way to promote our April 15 Pet First Aid Class at the Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center. However, we WNYers are such animal lovers that the class is already full! More dates will be added soon, so make sure you're following us on Facebook and Twitter to make sure you know about the next class before it fills up as well. And in the meantime, make sure to include Fido or Fluffy in your disaster planning! (ps-taking First Aid for people classes are always a good idea, too!)

Preparedness Month... Day 6!

It's preparedness month! And we’re celebrating with 30 days full of tips on our favorite topic… preparedness!! If you’ve missed out on any of them, click here to take a trip through the month of September and catch up!! 

Photo courtesy of
www.deep.med.miami.edu

Preparedness Tip #3

Choose an emergency contact person outside your area because it may be easier to call long distance than locally after a local/regional disaster. Take a minute now to call or e-mail an out-of-town friend or family member to ask him or her to be your family’s designated contact in the event of an emergency. Be sure to share the contact's phone number with everyone in the family. During an emergency, you can call your contact who can share with other family members where you are; how you are doing; and how to get in contact with you.

Preparedness Tip #4

Complete an emergency contact card and make copies for each member of your family to carry with them. Be sure to include an out-of-town contact on your contact card. It may be easier to reach someone out of town if local phone lines are out of service or overloaded. You should also have at least one traditionally wired landline phone, as cordless or cellular phones may not work in an emergency. Visit us online or www.ready.gov for sample emergency contact cards.

Preparedness Tip #5

Dogs may be man’s best friend, but due to health regulations, most emergency shelters cannot house animals. Find out in advance how to care for your pets and working animals when disaster strikes. Pets should not be left behind, but could be taken to a veterinary office, family member’s home or animal shelter during an emergency.  Also be sure to store extra food and water for pets. For more information, visit the Animal Safety section on www.redcross.org or visit the Humane Society Web site at www.hsus.org.

Preparedness Tip #6

Go through your calendar now, and put a reminder on it — every six months — to review your plan, update numbers, and check supplies to be sure nothing has expired, spoiled, or changed. Also remember to practice your tornado, fire escape or other disaster plans.

For more tips, be sure to check back with us to count down our 30 days of preparedness tips!