If you have a pet, then it’s only responsible to have some kind of plan for what you’d do in an emergency. Today we’re looking at a few different worst case scenarios to help you make plans to carry through you.
Your Pet Gets Sick!
It’s never fun when a beloved pet is sick. Whatever the symptoms are, from vomiting and diarrhea, to loss of energy and appetite, to difficulty moving, signs of pain or even a visible injury, you might well be worried, stressed and scared.
The important thing to do is lay the groundwork for an issue like this long before it happens. Register your pet at the vet as soon as you can after you bring it home, so you establish a relationship with the experts who can help, and you know how to get there. Make sure you have a pet carrier of the right size – not too big to handle, but big enough that your pet is comfortable in there, and take the time to accustom them to it, so being put in there when they’re sick isn’t a complete, horrifying surprise to them.
It’s also worth looking up the details of a 24 hour vet in your area. Emergencies don’t confine themselves to working hours, and the more seriously you’re considering taking your pet to the vet at 11 o’clock in the morning, the more likely something is to be seriously wrong.
Your Pet Goes Missing!
Take a walk round any neighbourhood and you’ll likely see posters letting people know about missing cats, dogs, even snakes! There’s nothing so worrying as when your beloved pet makes a bolt for freedom, or simply doesn’t come home like normal.
The most important thing you can do, once again, is be ready. Dogs, cats, rabbits and other species can all be microchipped. This gives them a unique identifier that is linked to you in a database, so when your pet is found a vet can contact you directly.
It’s also worth making sure you have clear, recent pictures of pet saved somewhere, just in case you do need to make some posters.
If your pet does go missing, you will need to confront the possibility that they’ve been stolen. Pet thefts have been on the rise recently, with the pandemic raising demand for companions in the home. If you think your pet has been stolen, you’ll need to let the police know. They will give you a crime number and further guidance.
If you just think your pet is missing, then it’s worth canvassing your local community. Post pictures online, put up posters, even go door to door, asking if people could check their sheds and garages. If a cat, dog or rabbit has got out of your garden and got lost, they could have run into an outbuilding for shelter and got stuck.
There’s every chance your pet will be found or even simply return hope, so try to stay hopeful, and regularly check their favourite hideaways in the neighbourhood.
