What can I do now to prepare for the unexpected?
“It’s something I don’t really want to think about
…but what if something happens to me, who will look after my dog?”
In the confusion that sometimes accompanies a person’s unexpected illness, pets may be overlooked. In some cases, pets are only discovered in the person’s home days after putting their welfare at risk. To ensure you have a plan in place and give you peace of mind, here are a few things to think about:
Find at least two trusted friends, relatives or neighbours who agree to be emergency caregivers for your pets in the event that something unexpected happens to you. They’ll need access to your home and be given any important information on your pets ahead of time. Feeding instructions, medical records and any medications, the contact details of your pet’s vet, your pet’s bed and toys and any likes and dislikes.
Ensure whoever has agreed to be your emergency pet support, knows how many pets you have and the contact details of your pet’s other emergency caregivers, if you have more than one. It might be that your neighbour might be able to at least alert your emergency contact person if they can’t look after pets themselves. Your pet’s emergency caregivers should also have each other’s contact details.
Carry a card in your wallet that advises emergency personnel you have a pet at home and lists the contact details of your pet’s emergency caregivers. Place “In Case of Emergency” posters on your doors specifying how many and what types of pets you have, along with your emergency contact names and numbers. These notices will alert emergency personnel during an emergency. Ensure you remove them when you move or no longer have your pet.
Prepare a one-month supply of your pet’s medications, litter and food (if possible) along with up-to-date copies of your pet’s vaccination records.
If for some reason you need to put your pet into a cattery or dog boarding kennel, you will need to show them up-to-date vaccination records; dogs C5 and cats F4 vaccination certificates.
Make sure the microchip details on your pets are up to date with your current phone number and an emergency contact number as well. If you are unsure of the company your pet is registered with, you can type in your pet’s microchip number, if known, into the following website www.petaddress.com.au or a vet will happily scan your pet to give you the microchip number. If your pet is not currently microchipped, perhaps in the interim you can ensure they are wearing a tag with a contact number on it.
If you have no other choice and have to go to hospital unexpectedly with no-one to immediately watch your pet, as a suggestion, leave one or two lights on and perhaps the radio or your favourite TV station to give them some comfort. Also ensure you leave several bowls of food and water so at least they are fed until help arrives.
You are never alone and if you would like peace of mind for the future of your pets, you can register them as officially registered Legacy Pets with Animal Welfare League Qld. Tel (07) 5509 9099 or email bequests@awlqld.com.au