During an emergency, you and your animal companions may be on your own for several days, and your pets will rely on you to help them through it.

Preparing your pets for an emergency is just as important as preparing for the human members of your family.

Pets and humans alike are encouraged to visit PreparedBC’s website to download the Household Preparedness Guide and Pet Plan Guide. After you prepare your home and create a pet plan, build a pet grab-and-go bag – complete with medical records, leashes and carriers, as well as some favourite toys and treats. If you use a kennel or day care, check on its emergency plan, and remember to give a friend or trusted neighbour a key to your home with instructions to retrieve your pet and your pet’s grab-and-go bag should you be out during an emergency.

To further help British Columbians remember to plan for their furry loved ones before an emergency happens, PreparedBC is launching a Pet Preparedness Photo Contest from May 9 to May 20, 2016, on its @PreparedBC Twitter account (twitter.com) . Followers are encouraged to take a photo of their “prepared” pet and tweet it to @PreparedBC. 

On Monday, May 21, the top five photos will be selected and the winners will receive a starter emergency kit. Winners will have their pet preparedness photos showcased on PreparedBC’s webpage.

Quick Facts:

• If it’s not safe for you, it’s not safe for your pets! During an emergency, the local evacuation centre should be your first point of contact. When you arrive, ask them to put you in touch with the animal assistance organization.
• Animals can become disoriented, frightened or aggressive after a disaster. Add a few items to your emergency kit to help calm your pet, such as vanilla spray or a towel with your scent on it. You may need thick gloves to help you handle a panicked pet.

Learn More:

Prepare your Pets guide: http://bit.ly/1SVlrxm

PreparedBC: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/preparedbc

@PreparedBC Twitter: https://twitter.com/PreparedBC

Basic emergency kit supplies: http://bit.ly/1JTPKOy

Household preparedness and neighbourhood preparedness guides: http://bit.ly/1OHIM6P

Emergency Info BC, B.C.’s official channel for emergency alerts: http://ow.ly/WCDbj

Follow Emergency Management BC on Twitter @EmergencyInfoBC and @PreparedBC