Disaster Supplies For Your Service Dog

From Service Dog Training

Hopefully you have a disaster plan and a kit of emergency supplies for yourself and your family, but what about your service dog? Preparing for a disaster with a service dog is a little different than preparing with a pet, because you will be able to take your service dog with you into emergency shelters, and you may need your dog’s assistance during the disaster and possible evacuations. Below are some things to consider adding to your emergency kit to ensure your service dog will be safe in a disaster.

Service Dog Disaster Kit

Dog boots – The aftermath of a disaster can leave dangerous debris on sidewalks and roads. Evacuating over the debris and even a potty break can be dangerous for your dog’s feet if you don’t protect them. Make sure you have dog boots available for your dog in case of emergency, and make sure your dog has learned to tolerate them before you need to use them.

Eye protection – Eye protection can be useful for the same reasons as dog boots. Your service dog’s eyesight is important, make sure you protect it during disasters.

Spare collar and leash – Things can break, especially during the stress of disasters, and the last thing you want to be caught without is a way of controlling your dog. Make sure you have a spare leash and an extra of whatever type of working collar you usually use.

Bowls for water and food

Grooming supplies

First aid kit

A blanket or some type of bedding – If you end up spending time in an emergency shelter, it will be important for your service dog to be able to be comfortable. If your service dog is small, you may be able to bring a dog bed. If your service dog is larger, you may want to bring a fleece throw, a blanket, or a crate pad as a more portable bed.

A crate or kennel - If your service dog is small enough to be contained in a regular crate or kennel easily, you can use that. People with larger service dogs may wish to consider a collapsible crate. The reason for having this is not as much to confine your service dog (though it can certainly be used for that) as to give your dog a safe space to relax if you find yourself staying in an emergency shelter or with family for a while.

A minimum of one week’s supply of food and enough water for at least 3 days– Try to make your stockpile of dog food mimic your dog’s regular diet as much as possible to minimize the chances of an upset stomach. If you feed a raw diet, you may want to look into dehydrated raw diets, either commercial ones or homemade dehydrated food.

Any medications or supplements

Information about your service dog in case you must be separated due to severe illness or injury (to either you or your dog). A sample information form can be found here.

--Tiffany Huggard-Lee 11:01, 12 September 2010 (CDT)