Keeping your pets safe in the midst of severe weather

AccuWeather

Founder and CEO of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, Lauree Simmons, offers tips on how you can keep your pets safe during storms, which also includes what pet items to bring with you in the event of evacuations.

Transcript

00:00September is National Preparedness Month and the goal is to help you prepare for any disasters

00:06or emergencies. For pet owners, that means making a plan to keep you and your pets safe.

00:11It was since 2008 Florida-based Big Dock Ranch Rescue has saved more than 60,000 dogs. Founder

00:18and CEO Lori Simmons joins us now. Yes, normally she has a pet when we checked in with her just

00:25to get the connection. I didn't see, but now we've got a sweet little puppy there for you.

00:29Yes, Lori, we have little Miso joining us today. Miso, love the name. Miso, love Miso. Yes,

00:37yeah. All right, so of course we're talking all things tropics here with impacts from what will

00:43be a hurricane later this week. So how are you all getting prepared and what should pet owners

00:48be doing now to plan for the potential threats? Well, as you know, we usually lead dog and animal

00:56rescue for many national disasters. We prepare year-round to respond wherever we are needed.

01:05Instructing staff that will be deployed in safety during these disasters are key.

01:13And making sure our transport vehicles are in good shape, stockpiling food and medical supplies

01:20to be able to help where needed. But pet owners can prepare themselves for the unexpected by

01:27taking several important steps. First, make sure you have all of your pet's records and vet records

01:36and medications. Second, make sure you have enough food and water to care for your pet

01:43for at least seven days. If your dog's sensitive to loud noises,

01:50look into thunder jackets, blankets that can provide additional comfort during the storm

01:59and maybe have some medication on hand if your dog has storm anxiety in case they need it.

02:07If you're evacuating, choose your destination before the storm hits and get out in time.

02:15If you're evacuating to a shelter or a hotel or relative's home, make sure before you go they

02:23allow pets. Your rescue teams have helped save so many pets over the years. In an emergency situation,

02:32how do they mobilize and help and how do you reunite lost pets with their owners?

02:39Well, if this new storm coming up that's supposed to be going to hit the panhandle as of now,

02:45it looks like it can be a really bad one. We are going to need an army of fosters

02:52because both of our shelters in Alabama and in Palm Beach County are full. With the ongoing

02:59crisis right now, with the economy and inflation, every shelter everywhere in the south, every

03:07rescue is at max capacity. So signing up beforehand to be a foster home for when we do evacuate these

03:16animals is key. Donating to bdrr.org so that we can buy the necessary supplies and pull off the

03:29missions needed are a huge help. Laura Simmons, founder and CEO of Big Dog Ranch Rescue. Thanks

03:37for everything you guys do and thanks so much for joining us this morning. And thank you so

03:41much for keeping everybody informed and let's all hope we're all going to be safe.

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