Hurricane Season: Is your pet ready?

June 1st  marks the beginning of one of my least favorite times of year, hurricane season.  Last year we had two named storms before the season officially began. Hopefully this year will bring a mild hurricane season, but being prepared is always important.

By now many people know what they'd do for themselves to prepare for this time of year. You have batteries and flashlights, a radio. You get bottled water and non-perishable food items. You keep your gas tank full in case you need to leave.  Windows are boarded and patio furniture is brought inside.  Many of us have figured out what's practical and what isn't and every year we "get ready."

But what about your pets? To most people our pets are more than just a dog that we tie up out back. They are family. And they need to be prepared for hurricane season as well.  You can go to Google and find all types of lists and tips for getting your pets ready.  I decided to share my tips, as a pet owner and life-time resident of the gulf coast, as well as an animal health professional.

1) Food.  This sounds obvious right? But think about it.  How many of you get down to the last few bites of food before heading out to the pet store to get more? How many of you have fed your pets treats or wheat bread for dinner because you were completely out of food and the pet store was closed? Don't do that during hurricane season.  Just like waiting for the last minute to get batteries, bottled water, etc will lead you to empty shelves and time spent driving all over your city in search of supplies, the same WILL happen with your pet's food.  This is especially true if your dog is on a prescription diet from your vet or eats a food that can only be found at certain stores.  Keep a smaller bag of food ready at all times so that if you have to evacuate or if you end up stuck at home for a few days, Fido and FiFi have food. Because let's face it, the humans will eat first and some of you won't be sharing your rations with the dogs.

2) Water.  Make sure your pet has plenty of fresh water to drink.  If you are evacuating, get some gallon containers and fill them up with tap water.  That way your pets can drink the water they are used to if you leave.  Some times the different additives in the water in various cities may upset your pet's stomach and quite frankly, doggy diarrhea is something you don't want to deal with while running from a storm.

3) Medication. Another obvious one, but remember, during this time, some things may be in high demand and you don't want to not have anything your pet needs.  You should stock up on flea and heartworm prevention for each pet as well as any other daily medications-- meds for pain, thyroid conditions, anxiety, seizures, etc.  If you have a pet that gets particularly nervous/anxious during storms, call your vet now to discuss getting something that can help calm them down during a hurricane or during your evacuation process.  Bottom line, God forbid a major hurricane comes through your town, you may be away from home for a while and you want to make sure your pet has any medications needed to maintain a healthy life.

4) Identification and restraint.  Every pet needs a collar with a tag that at least has your phone number.  Check tags and collars often for wear and tear so that you know they will not break when you need them.  Make sure your dog is leashed in the car ride or at a shelter.  Some shelters will allow pets but for their safety and the safety of others they will need to be leashed (and possibly crated).  Consider adding a harness for extra control and safety, as some pets can slip out of their collars easily.

 For cats (and small pets like ferrets, hedgehogs, etc) have a carrier available.  Make sure your information is located on this carrier. If you are evacuating and know where you are going, add that information as well.  Also, I have found that for my cat, it is easy to get him into this carrier because I leave it out all the time, so it doesn't just come out for trips to the vet, which could be scary.  That way if I need to get him into it quickly there isn't a struggle.

If your pet is not microchipped, this would also be a great time to think about doing so.  You'll also want to make sure that any changes in your contact info have been updated with the microchip company.

5) Vet records.  Make sure you have a copy of any vaccines your cats and dogs have received, as well as heart worm tests, fecal exam and feline combo test results.  Put them in a ziploc back and keep them with other important paperwork. 

Spoiled with a Sense of Entitlement: America's New Generation

How did we get here?

Abigail Fisher, a white student from Texas, sued the "college of her dreams" because she didn't get in.  She says she didn't get in because she was white, but her grades in comparison with those of the students admitted were mediocre. With a 3.59 GPA and a score of 1180 out of 1600 on the SAT, her credentials were far from horrible but they weren't great, and they weren't as good as the applicants she was competing with, so she didn't make the cut.  Never mind the fact that she went to another college, has since graduated, and unlike MANY other college graduates she already has a job, she deserved to get in and someone should pay!  

More recently, a set of girls at Howard University sued Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated because they weren't chosen for membership.  That's kind of the way these organizations work people.  A sorority or fraternity reserves the right to choose to whom they extend membership.  Sometimes you aren't chosen.  You go home, cry, throw something, and try again, or you just live with it.  

Let's face it.  People in American love lawsuits and petitions.  You don't get into the college of your choice, the sorority of your choice doesn't choose you, or you don't get the grade you want in a class, so you throw a tantrum and file suit, start a petition, protest.  It's life! When you were in elementary school you might not have been picked for a team on kickball day in gym. You won't always get what you want, and that is just how it is. I think part of what pisses me off is that there are people who ARE discriminated against, who won't be taken as seriously because of the way people make these frivolous gestures as often as they change clothes.  The governor of Alabama stood outside of a university to keep black students from attending, people are fighting for the right to get married, women's reproductive rights are under attack, and you want to have a bitch fit because you didn't do well enough to get into the school of your choice, were rejected by a sorority or got a bad grade? Please cry me a river, then go fall into it.  

The bottom line is this.  If you want something, work for it.  Don't feel like you are entitled to what you want in life.