September is National Preparedness Month, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages everyone to make disaster preparedness a priority and that includes remembering our family pets. Goodnewsforpets has compiled this information from FEMA and will be bringing you additional resource information this month. The week of September 15-21 focuses on how to build an emergency kit. For realtime updates follow #NatlPrep

According to FEMA, the likelihood that you and your animals will survive an emergency such as a fire or flood, tornado or terrorist attack depends largely on emergency planning done today. Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as assembling an animal emergency supply kit and developing a pet care buddy system, are the same for any emergency.

Whether you decide to stay put in an emergency or evacuate to a safer location, you will need to make plans in advance for your pets. Keep in mind that what’s best for you is typically what’s best for your animals.

If you evacuate your home, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND! Pets most likely cannot survive on their own and if by some remote chance they do, you may not be able to find them when you return.

If you are going to a public shelter, it is important to understand that animals may not be allowed inside. Plan in advance for shelter alternatives that will work for both you and your pets; consider loved ones or friends outside of your immediate area who would be willing to host you and your pets in an emergency.

Make a back-up emergency plan in case you can’t care for your animals yourself. Develop a buddy system with neighbors, friends and relatives to make sure that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so. Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to make it on your own for at least three days, maybe longer.

Use the Pet Owners Brochure on the FEMA web site and the Pet Instructional Video to help you create an emergency plan and kit for your pet.

Across the nation, disasters are occurring with greater frequency, and are larger and more complex. Severe weather and other emergencies can strike with little or no warning and can have disastrous impacts. Already this year, states have experienced destructive severe storms, including the winter storms. Spring tornadoes and flooding also affected several states. Four named tropical cyclones, Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, and Dolly have already formed this summer, and they serve as a reminder to be ready for hurricanes.