Pet Safety When Disaster Strikes #PetPrepared

This post is sponsored by Hill's Food, Shelter & Love® Initiative and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping promote National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day, but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.


Pets are precious family members and we want to keep them safe and healthy. No one wants to imagine what might happen if personally affected by disaster, but being prepared for such an event can sometimes make the difference between life and death. I know I'm sounding dramatic, but this time it's prudent to pay attention to my drama. Later you can go back to poking fun at my histrionics regarding whether or not I remembered to pull my red leggings out of the load of whites that's now in the washing machine.

I can't imagine being separated from this guy.

I live in Minnesota, where we have a tornado season. Within 25 miles of where I sit right now,  an entire neighbor hood was leveled in 2008. I hope I never have to live through that kind of devastation.

Animal shelters especially feel the impact following disasters. Because people can become separated from their pets, shelters are often faced with caring for the animals until they're reunited with their families. This can be a highly stressful situation for many shelters who are already struggling to house and care for its residents. Thankfully, Hill's Disaster Relief Network  is positioned to to quickly respond with shipments of pet food to post-disaster communities. Hill's created this first-of-its-kind national network in 2013 as an expansion of its Food, Shelter & Love® program

Photo courtesy of Hill's Pet Nutrition.

In the last three years, Hill's delivered free pet food to more than 60 different shelters and vet clinics across the country in response to 25 major incidents. That's some significant relief!

FEMA National Pet Disaster Preparedness Day is May 14, so now is the perfect time for you to take some steps to ensure your pet's safety during an emergency.

Hill's recommends the following seven tips:

• Make sure your pet can be identified with current information on a microchip or collar ID tag.
• Prepare a "Pet Emergency To-Go Kit" which should include first aid supplies and guidebook; a three-day supply of pet food in a waterproof container; bottled water; a safety harness and leash; waste clean-up supplies, medications and medical records; a contact list of vets and pet care organizations; information on your pet's feeding routine and behavioral issues; comfort toys and a blanket.
• Display a pet rescue decal on your front door or window (include vet contact information).
• Learn the places where your pet likes to hide when frightened.
• Identify locations you can take your pet in the case of an evacuation. Not all disaster shelters accept pets, so check with friends or relatives and scout out pet-friendly hotels.
• Carry a photo of your pet in the case of separation.
• If you need to evacuate, consider the safety of a pet carrier.

So you can remember all of this, here's a handy infographic you can save and print.

Phoebe's excited about helping me with my emergency plan. Can't you tell?

Hill's mission is based on four pillars: volunteer, donate, choose, and adopt. They've provided over $230 million worth of nutritious food to nearly 1,000 shelters, and they're ready to spring into action 365 days a year. What a commitment!

I would hate to think about becoming separated from my cats after a devastating event -- and I don't have a plan. Now I feel like I have some practical instructions for disaster preparedness. I hope I never have to use them, but I'll be ready.

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hill’s® Pet Nutrition, Inc. The opinions and text are all mine.