Hurricane Safety

Hurricane Sandy is on its way. President Obama has declared an emergency in Pennsylvania, and people are being advised not to travel unless absolutely necessary. High winds, flooding, and power outages are expected. It’s time to hunker down to weather the storm.

As you’re preparing for the storm, make sure that you include your service dogs and pets in your preparations. It may be a good idea to have an emergency supply kit for your animals that includes:

• Food and water for several days
• Any meds your animal is taking
• Vet records
• Food/water dishes
• Pet first aid kit
• Blanket
• Collar and leash
• Treats
• A favorite toy

Also, it’s a good idea to make sure that your dog is wearing his or her tags.

If you have one of our service dogs in training, make sure you have their service dog in training harness packed in case you have to go to an emergency shelter. It may also be helpful to have your letters identifying your dog as part of our program. Not all emergency shelters allow pets, but you should be able to take your service dog in training with you.

You can read more about preparing for a hurricane and/or other emergency in the PA Emergency Preparedness Guide.

You can also get updates on the Central PA area from Pennlive, including links to local Red Cross shelters. The American Red Cross is also a great resource.

Please stay safe!