110 / Conclusion
in place” or remain at home until the danger has passed.
Nonperishables can be acquired beforehand, and in most
instances, depending on the amount of notice provided,
any perishables can be procured at the last minute.- Have identifi cation for all animals. Ideally, this would be
a permanent identifi er, such as a microchip or tattoo, in
addition to a collar with visible ID tags. The microchip or
tattoo should be recorded with a national registry, which
also lists out-of-area contacts, such as friends or family
members, in case telephone service is disrupted. It is use-
ful also to have recent photographs of all animals for iden-
tifi cation purposes. If a cat escapes from a carrier and runs
away, the picture can help identify him or her. - Have a supply of any medications, along with copies of
veterinary records. - Have leashes for dogs and carriers for cats. Households
with multiple cats should have ample carriers. Many peo-
ple have only one carrier despite having multiple cats
because they use the carriers for trips to the vet, one at a
time. Each cat should have his or her own carrier. - Have a plan of where to go if you must evacuate and how
you will get there. Although many situations will involve
“sheltering in place,” other events could require evacua-
tion. Identify friends and family who would house you
and your animals in such a situation. Keep a list of pet-
friendly hotels. - Have a plan for what to do if a disaster strikes while you
are not home. Know where animals will be sheltered after
evacuation.
In practice, these are easy steps, requiring only a few hours of work.
Nevertheless, I call this recommendation “deceptively simple”
because the challenge involves how to prompt people to prepare—
before the crisis, when there will be many competing priorities.
The question of how to get people to prepare for something that
may never happen has puzzled disaster researchers for decades.