Have you heard the term "Go Bag" before? Do you know what it is? Essentially, a Go Bag is a bag of must have items that are packed and ready to go in the case of an emergency. The items in the bag include a change of clothes (preferably 3 days worth), a first aid kit, something to provide warmth, a flashlight, water, food, and more.
Many Go Bags include supplies that will get you through any emergency, which means that it should have good shoes, tissues, work gloves, face masks, sanitizers, any prescription medications, and the necessities you might need to take care of yourself. There are even government agencies and sites that offer support in helping people build their own Go Bags from the ground up. (If you need help building your own Go Bag, check out the Sonoma County Emergency Preparedness Site.)
In knowing what a Go Bag for a person might contain, have you ever wondered if your pet should have their own Go Bag? And what should be in that bag? In trying to get more information on how to care for our pets when it comes to storms like hurricanes, blizzards, and more we asked for some expert advice. And Lorraine Rhoads from Dogtopia, had some answers.
An expert reveals what you may want to include in your pet's Go Bag
In asking for advice on how to prepare our pets for things like snowstorms and hurricanes, Rhoads, who is the Director of Health and Safety at Dogtopia, recommended having a Go Bag ready to go. And she broke down how to put together a Go Bag for our pets.
"Pet Go Bag:Lorraine Rhoads
• Keep a paper and digital copy of your current vaccine records and microchip number to provide proof to the authorities of current vaccines in the event you and your furry family member are separated
• Include a photograph of you and your pet together. This will help in identifying you as the pet parent
• Keep a set of feeding and water bowls in the bag as well as a supply of dog food (minimum of 3 days)
• Have a supply of any special medication your pet may need
• Collar and leashes for each pet with current ID tags
• Flashlight with back up batteries and glow sticks or reflective tape
• Have a carrier or collapsible crate ready in case you can use a vehicle to evacuate safely. Label carrier, crate and/or Go Bag with your name and contact information
• Pet First Aid Kit
• Keep a current list of pet friendly hotels/motels"
What is interesting about the Go Bag for our pets is that it does contain some of the exact same things that a human bag would contain (although for pets). We are talking food, water, and first aid kits of course, as well as the flashlight. Knowing that there is overlap between what we would should be bringing for ourselves and our pets makes things a bit easier in some ways. It means that we can focus on the important things and build from there.
But we want to know your thoughts on the Pet Go Bag. Do you have one of these packed and ready in case of an emergency? What is part of your Go Bag for your pet?