As Hurricane Gustav approached the Gulf Coast my mind retuned to Hurrican Katrina and the aftermath of that disaster. It made me wonder why anyone would want to live in a region of the world where hruricanes are commonplace. Then my mind returned to three weeks ago when both my yard and dog kennel were quickly flooded by a sudden downpour of rain that had me hustling about in knee deep water relocating my dogs to higher ground. Iwas reminded that emergencies and disasters can strike anywhere, at any time. The time to prepare for such events is before they occur.

The No. 1 thing you must remember when it comes to disaster management is that you cannot rely on someone else to rescue and care for your pets. In a crisis situation it is truly every man and dog for himself. If your disaster plan includes leaving your pet behind and waiting for a government agency to rescue it, then you need to rethink your plan. As Katrina so graphically illustrated, that simply will not be the case. Resources will be pushed to the limits and efforts to save human lives will come long before any rescue efforts will be made for animals. Leaving your pet behind when you evacuate will most likely be a death sentence. If your pet does survive, the ability to reunite with your pet is almost reduced to nothing in the aftermath of a major disaster. Your best bet is to create a disaster plan that includes your pet. Taking your pet with you when you evacuate may be the single most important factor in your pet's survival. If you absolutely must leave your pet behind do not leave them chained or tied up. This will put them at a great disadvantage and will likely lead to their death.

Make sure you include boarding information in your plan. If you are away from your home for an extended length of time you may need to board your pet somewhere. Explore your options in advance and write the contact information down to include in your disaster kit.

Keep your pet current on all vaccinations as some boarding and shelter facilities require this for admission.

Create a pet emergency kit, which can provide needed items in the event of an emergency and save you valuable time when disaster strikes. Some things to include in your pet emergency kit:

• food and water with dishes

• first aid kit

• medicine

• towels and blankets

• veterinary records and current photo of your pet

• leashes and tie outs

• a pet carrier

• plastic trash bags

• identification tags with your cell phone number and/or information of where you plan to evacuate (your home number may be of no use in an emergency)

• other important numbers such as your veterinarian, local animal shelter, etc.

After a disaster do not let your pet outside unattended. Keep them on a leash as some dangers may still exist and the landscape may have changed to such a degree that your pet could get disoriented and lost.

The key to surviving any disaster is preparation. Take time to make a sound plan and a quality emergency kit before the disaster arrives and you will greatly increase the chance that your pet will survive a disaster.

For additional information regarding disaster preparedness for your pets you can visit the Web sites of such agencies as the Humane Society of the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the American Kennel Club.