Pennsylvania SPCA Urges Storm Preparations For Pet Owners
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - With the threat of Hurricane Irene just over the horizon, animal welfare experts in the Delaware Valley are repeating their recommendation that pets wear ID tags at all times.
Tuesday's quake didn't cause problems with startled or lost pets showing up at area shelters, notes Pennsylvania SPCA director of veterinary services Angela Messer, but she says her staff is concerned with what Hurricane Irene could bring.
"We see a serious influx of animals when there is a large storm, especially something like Irene," she tells KYW Newsradio. "We are anticipating this weekend more animals coming in, because animals get spooked and they take off because they are just scared and they are lost."
Messer says that in the ideal situation, the animals will be microchipped and quickly reunited with their owners.
But in any case, she says, prepare by making sure your cat or dog is wearing a collar with an ID tag.
And Messer suggests staying with your pet during a storm, especially if there is thunder, to help calm it and make it feel safe. She adds that medication may sometimes be necessary, which can be prescribed by a veterinarian.
The PSPCA also recommends that you have a kit ready as part of your family's emergency preparedness plan that includes pet medications, food, water, an extra leash, and copies of veterinary records.
Reported by John McDevitt, KYW Newsradio 1060
