Is Your Dog Ready for an Emergency?

Dan F. Sullivan Contributing Author
Jun 3, 2016
5 min read

This is a great article submitted by Dan F. Sullivan as a contributing author to Family Disaster Dogs Blog. Dan is the founder and chief editor of http://www.SurvivalSullivan.com .

Dan's work has also been featured on websites such as prepperbroadcasting.com, activistpost.com, dollarcollapse.com and backdoorsurvival.com.

Thanks Dan !

Is Your Dog Ready for an Emergency?

While dogs are, more often than not, the family members that get the most attention, at the same time, they’re easily overlooked when it comes to things like emergency preparedness. The truth is, it’s not just people who go missing or die in case of a natural or man-made disaster.

Left unattended, pets will have no choice but to survive on their own, Though they’re better prepared than us to survive in the wild, it’s likely that those instincts have faded away after living all their lives inside an apartment or a backyard.

I’m sure you’ve seen footage of dogs being rescued after Katrina. Maybe you’ve seen little old ladies looking for their cat among debris. Sometimes we value our pets’ lives more than our own, which is why we need to include them in our survival plans. Plus, a dog will bring a lot of comfort and joy once society crumbles to pieces.

With this in mind, let’s see some of the things you can buy for your dog to improve his chances of survival in a disaster, as well as your own.

If your dog is small, it may not be able to carry anything, but if it’s big enough, the first thing to consider is a dog backpack. This is something you should discuss with the vet, and make sure you ask him or her about the maximum weight you can put on its back (should be no more than a third of its own weight). Keep in mind that, in a bug out situation, you need your dog to keep up with you, which is why the lighter the load, the better.

The following items are more than what your dog can carry and that’s okay. Some of them will go in your car’s trunk, others inside your own bag. In time, you’ll move things around in your survival bags, always looking to make them lighter, to squeeze yet another important item and optimize the way they are packed.

Without further ado, here’s the list of items you should include in your dog’s survival kit...

Food and Water

Get some freeze-dried dog food as well as dried food for bug out scenarios. You can add canned food to your stockpile for variety. Canned food should last a couple of years, even more if you keep it in a cool, dry, dark place such as a basement. Dried food, on the other hand, will probably last around one year.

Check the shelf life and assume it will last even less because of the fact that your car’s trunk can get pretty hot during summer. The food you keep inside the backpack, just like the food you keep inside your own BOB should also last less than what it says on the label, precisely because the conditions are less than ideal.

A Muzzle, Leash and Collar

You’ll have to keep an eye out on your dog at all times. Mine is scared of fireworks (many dogs are), so you never know how yours is going to react when there’s chaos and panic all around. If you’ll be using a bug out vehicle to evacuate, you’ll need to keep him tied down inside the car, or have someone hold him... unless you want him jumping over you as you’re driving.

If you’re bugging out on foot, you don’t want it biting other people, it’s a problem you just don’t want to deal with. Let’s face it: in a disaster situation, your dog is going to be yet another distraction amidst the chaos.

One other thing you can get is get a glow-in-the-dark collar. This way, if you lose him at night, you’ll be able to spot him a lot easier.

A First Aid Kit

It’s possible that your dog will get injured while bugging out. With dangers at every step, it’s only a matter of time until he steps into a piece of glass or some other animal attacks it.

Band-Aids
alcohol wipes
cotton balls
adhesive tape
hydrogen peroxide
non-latex gloves
rectal thermometer
petroleum jelly (use it to lubricate the aforementioned thermometer or to start a fire)

Unfortunately, having a first aid kit isn’t enough. You’re also going to need the knowledge to use it. If you’re considering taking a first aid course for humans, why not take one for your pet? Your dog will surely give his life to defend you when you’re in danger so, at some point in the future, if the S will HTF, those classes will come in very handy.

Personal Information

This is something every family member should have in their survival bag, not just your dog. Keep copies of vaccination records, records of any diseases he may have (as well as treatments) and, of course, don’t forget to write his name.

If your dog gets lost and someone finds it, the more they know, the better. Be sure to include your own personal information, such as a phone number or a location where they can meet you (in case of an EMP threat) and your vet’s phone number (maybe you need to call him as you’re bugging out).

You should also include a recent photo of your pet, but please keep that in your own backpack. If your dog gets lost, you’ll need to show it to people as you’re searching for it.

Zipper Bags

Pretty much every item on this list should go into an airtight zipper bag, because everything needs to be waterproofed. Besides, these bags have numerous alternative uses for survival. They’re cheap, lightweight and you can never have enough of.

A Toy

Get an inflatable one because it’s lighter and it takes less space. I said “one” because there’s no point in having more. If anything, you should keep the rest split between your home and your bug out location to cover both scenarios (bugging in and bugging out).

A Blanket

Even if your dog has fur and is comfortable sleeping outside, you still need to pack a blanket. Consider the fact that you may bug out during the winter. Consider the fact that your dog may get injured at some point. Even if your dog won’t use it, maybe you will... A small wool blanket could prove itself useful in a number of cases.

Dog Boots

If you plan to bug out on foot or on your bike, dog boots are mandatory. It’s very likely that your dog will step into something at some point.

The only thing is, you need to train your dog to wear them before the brown stuff hits the fan. If you haven’t seen the YouTube videos of dogs wearing boots for the first time, they are hilarious. Think of it like a survival skill for your dog.

Final Word

I’m not saying that this list is comprehensive by any means. If you truly want your dog prepared for any disaster, big or small, you’ll need to think about increasing your food and water stockpile to accommodate him. Now, whether that food goes into his backpack or someplace else, that’s another story.

Remember that bugging in has its own set of challenges, from stockpiling to home security, your dog will influence every aspect of your survival plans. You might as well include it in your plans from the beginning.