Prepping With Pets
BugOut MAG!|Winter 2016

In today’s world, it’s not uncommon for the average individual to prepare for disaster.

Megan Linski
Prepping With Pets

Prepping a shelter, stockpiling food and water, creating a kit of emergency supplies and developing an evacuation plan are a few things you can do in case something goes wrong. Yet if a worse-case scenario happens, do you have a plan of action for your cat, dog, or other pets? If there’s an emergency, do you know what will happen to your animals?

Pets, especially dogs, can be added to your survival plan in case of disaster. Pets are more aware than humans to dangerous situations, and can alert you of possible intruders before you become aware of it yourself. Besides security, pets can provide warmth in cold weather, and a sense of companionship. This is especially crucial for people who will be surviving alone, or who have children in need of comfort during stressful times. Dogs can be trained to hunt, providing food, and cats can keep disease-carrying rodents out of your shelter. Horses can serve as means of transportation if your vehicle breaks down and cannot be repaired.

However, there are some cons to having pets with you in a survival situation. Food and water between you and your animals will have to be shared, at least, once your stocks of pet food for them has run out. Will you be able to spare your supplies with your animal? Pets, especially horses, can attract outsiders to your location, and with large animals, you may run out of supplies for them like hay rather quickly. Unless you have a continuous water source on the property, such as a well, you will be unable to take care of these large creatures, even for a few days.

The decision to take your pets with you in the event of an emergency is a decision that must be made now. You won’t have the time to waffle between the agonizing choice of leaving them behind or bringing them along in the heat of the moment.

This story is from the Winter 2016 edition of BugOut MAG!.

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This story is from the Winter 2016 edition of BugOut MAG!.

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