Earthquakes and typhoons have wreaked havoc in Japan since the start of 2018.
There is a fear that the next natural disaster will hit the Kanto region including central Tokyo.
Here are some tips to prepare our furry family members as well, should such a disaster happen.

Stockpile

★Have all your pet’s information in one place (ex. In a file or notebook)
When taking shelter with your pet, some facilities will require documentation such as vaccination certificates.
Here are some examples of information you should keep with you:
1. Basic information about your pet – Name, color, markings, character. A photo would be helpful.
2 Registration at your ward of residence: Don’t forget to put the little license plate the ward provides on your dog’s collar.
3 Microchip information – Have your pet’s microchip number jotted down so that you can provide it to the authorities in case he/she goes missing.
4 Vaccination certificates – If you are postponing your pet’s vaccination for some reason, have your vet issue an exemption certificate in the meantime.
5 Medical history – Jot down the name of your vet, your pet’s medical history, current treatment and medicines.
It would also help to have any blood test or health check data on your phone in case reference is needed in an emergency.

★Food, treats, and water. 5 days’ worth at least
In an emergency, humans won’t be the only ones panicking!
Because shelter life may be stressful for your pet, it is a good idea to be able to give them food, treats, favorite toy/blanket that they are used to and remind them of home.

★Medicine
If your pet has a chronic illness (heart disease, skin disease, etc), running out of or not having access to medication can lead to worsening of symptoms and in some cases even be life threatening.
Placing your pet’s medication where you have easy access to them on your way out when evacuating is a good idea. Also, knowing what kind of meds and the dosage will be handy if a vet is on call at the shelter to prescribe a new batch.

★Extra food bowls, leashes and collars.

★Toilet equipment (wee mats and kitty litter)

★Cardboard boxes, tape, towels – just in case you need to build your pet a temporary cage at the shelter.

☆Additional advice

① Having extra pet food at home at all times in case of such emergencies is a good idea.
When you open a new bag of food, buy another.
That way you never have to worry about expiry dates!
② When packing for your pet, don’t buy new things.
Always pack things they know and have used all their lives.
This applies to everything from food and treats, to towels, blankets and pet crates.
Familiar things and smells can do wonders to ease your pet’s stress.
Of course we need to prepare well for human evacuation, but being able to evacuate your pet with you and be prepared to do it is also important.
At shelters, shortage of supplies even or humans can be problematic, and most of the time there are not enough resources to take into account the distribution of pet supplies.
We can help our pets through such crises by doing the best we can to be prepared.

Stay tuned for next month’s edition, where we will share some information about evacuation drills☆