In Case of Emergency Information

Let’s face it dogs are adept to getting into accidents. Emergencies are common place in the world of dog care as well as the human world in which they live. Dogs love to play and sometimes have a tendency to play too hard resulting in a step into a yellow jacket’s nest, a swallowed toy or household item or random cuts and bruises. Accidents can also happen like your dog bolting out the front door or slipping out of his collar or leash resulting in him becoming lost. There are also human emergencies to content with like a last minute trip out of town to deal with or, heaven forbid, a house fire. With all of these emergencies come fear, panic and sometimes a feeling of helplessness when they occur. With careful planning you and your dog can be prepared for the curveballs that dog ownership has in store. Follow the following tips to make any emergency easier to deal with:

Prepare a lost dog flyer. It never hurts to have one of these on file. The sooner you can get the word out that your dog is lost, the better chance you have of getting him home safely. When this emergency strikes you should be out looking for your dog and not at home creating a flyer. Try sitting down at your computer and creating a flyer with a color photo, your dog’s name and your information. When including your dog’s information remember to include his size, breed, build or other interesting physical features like a black spot on his right eye or something else that will uniquely identify your dog. Also remember to include any medication your dog might need. You might also want to include your cell phone number in addition to back up numbers of friends or family in case your battery goes dead during the search.

Place a note on your front door or in your window for emergency workers. In the event of a disaster at home this information will be useful to firefighters. Try a note reading "In case of emergency please save my pets" in big bold letters. Include the number of pets in your home and their breeds. Remember to add your contact information along with the name, address and telephone number of your Veterinarian in case you can not be reached and they need to take your dog for Veterinary care.

Keep an emergency contact list on your refrigerator. On this list you might wish to include your regular Vet’s information and hours as well as the name, number and address of the 24 hour emergency Veterinarian closest to you. Some dog owners have never been to the ER with their pet’s and end up scrambling to find one in the middle of the night. Plan ahead and you will be better prepared. You might go one step further and print directions for your emergency list. Also add a poison hotline number for 24 hour advice on what to do if your pet swallows a substance that you think is bad for him.

Create a plan for last minute travel. In the event that your wife goes into labor, your boss sends you on an emergency trip to Tokyo or a family member passes suddenly you will likely not be able to get home and make arrangements for your dog. Try asking a trusted friend to take over this responsibility in case of an emergency. In doing so make sure to do the following: give your friend a key to your house; have a folder containing your dog’s Veterinary records, feeding schedule and medication list; and have a list of preferred boarders in the event that your friend is unable to watch your pooch. Basically, organize everything your friend will need to provide proper care for your dog. This can also be helpful in the event that you are involved in a car accident and can not get home to let your dog out.

There is no need to be paranoid about what can occur, but there is a need to prepare for the "what ifs" of this world. By creating a plan in advance you will be better equipped to deal with any emergency that comes your way. The old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure definitely holds true in these cases.

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