BE PREPARED!

Do you know what to do in case of an emergency? How about a natural disaster? Most people don't. Floods, fires, hurricanes, ice storms, chemical/nuclear accidents, terrorism...sadly, times and weather they are a changin'! And we need to change with them. The best -the only- time to prepare for an emergency is BEFORE it happens. Being prepared can't prevent bad things from happening, but it can prevent bad things from getting worse.

If your pets are part of your family like ours are, you would never dream of leaving them behind in the event of an emergency. In fact, experts tell us the number one reason why people refuse to evacuate during an emergency is because they don't want to leave their pets behind. For good or bad, we have been able to learn a great deal from past disasters about how to be prepared in case the unthinkable happens. There are now government and private agencies that are dedicated to helping people and pets before, during and after emergencies occur.

Don't just tell your pets you love them, SHOW THEM! Take a couple minutes to check out these awesome sites. Assemble an emergency kit and develop a plan so that even if you were never a boy scout, you can still BE PREPARED!

ready.gov   This is the official website of the Department of Homeland Security. Here you can find everything you need to be able to prepare and protect your home and family in the event of an emergency.

readypa.org   PA state version of the national site. Here you can find local info and resources.

pasart.org Official website of the Pennsylvania State Animal Response Team. These are the local heroes who come out when we need them most. (And by the way, they are always in need of volunteers and support!)

avma.org/disaster  Here you can find info about the AVMA's (American Veterinary Medical Association) disaster relief efforts.

avmf.org/ADRR  Here you can find info about and help support disaster relief efforts of the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, the charitable arm of the AVMA.