Suffolk SPCA Offers Hurricane Season Safety Tips

With our entrance into June, we must remember that the summer season also ushers in hurricane season!

Most of us are already veterans when it comes to handling the caliber of hurricanes that the East End is prone to, but we tend to forget that our cats and dogs are not as accustomed to the tremendous amounts of rain and the ear-shattering thunder crashes as we are.

In honor of the approach of hurricane season, the Suffolk County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has released a list of tips for pet preparedness to help you take care of your anxious pet in the event of a second Sandy.

1. Always be ready!

2. Always make sure your pets are easily identifiable—make your pets wear their collars or rabies tags at all times.

3. In the event that your area needs to be evacuated, don’t be a bad pet owner and friend—don’t leave Sparky behind! Cats and Dogs are people too…sort of.

4. Plan in advance—consider friends or family that you can stay with outside your local area, or check for pet-friendly shelters, or look for hotels or motels that allow pets. Check out petswelcome.com for listings of hotels that allow your cats or dogs.

5. Create a Pet Emergency Supply Kit—Be sure to include food, medication, flashlights, food and water bowls, can openers, cage or carrier (for cats, make sure each cat has a separate carrier!), extra collars, litter box, plastic trash bags and any scratching posts to keep your cat occupied.

6. Be sure to bring important records such as recent photos, contact information and microchip information.

7. Stay alert! Try to stay 10 steps ahead—tune into your local news stations for hurricane updates.

8. In the event your pet gets lost, here are two tips. When dogs are frightened, they run as far as they possibly can. When cats are frightened, they tend to run for the nearest cover they can find.

Just remember—stay calm and try your best to keep your pets safe and sound. With any luck, hurricane season will be a flop and we can postpone our anxieties for another year.