{"id":110036,"date":"2022-08-17T10:51:27","date_gmt":"2022-08-17T17:51:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/?p=110036"},"modified":"2022-08-17T11:50:49","modified_gmt":"2022-08-17T18:50:49","slug":"op-ed-make-sure-your-animals-will-be-safe-if-tragedies-were-to-occur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/2022\/08\/17\/op-ed-make-sure-your-animals-will-be-safe-if-tragedies-were-to-occur\/","title":{"rendered":"Op-ed: Make sure your animals will be safe if tragedies were to occur"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>By Marcia Mayeda<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

In the early 1990\u2019s I was the executive director of a humane society in Kansas. It was a very rewarding job and we helped many animals. A number were dogs that fled in terror during the frequent thunderstorms that rolled across the prairie. Safe in our animal shelter, they still believed the world was coming to an end and could not be consoled until the weather had passed. Sometimes tornados swept down on us, leaving immense destruction in their wakes.<\/p>\n

I remember being awoken at about two a.m. one night by the sound of sirens. Groggy and half-asleep, I assumed it was our security system until I peered out my window and saw the rain blowing sideways. It took my brain a moment to register what was going on, then I frantically grabbed my dog and cats and made a beeline for the tornado shelter a few steps outside my home. We made it safely there and waited out the storm with neighbors. When daylight arrived and the storm had passed, we saw that a tornado had struck about a quarter of a mile from our location. We were very lucky.<\/p>\n

September is National Preparedness Month<\/em>, established to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. By now we all know about the importance of including our pets, livestock, and other animals in our emergency planning efforts. But have you taken stock of your current state of readiness?<\/p>\n

Living in Southern California, we are accustomed to wildfires, mudslides, and earthquakes. But sometimes other events occur that we never would have anticipated, such as train derailments, chemical spills, or airplane crashes. Any of these incidents might mean we must immediately evacuate our homes and be prepared to live somewhere else for several weeks, if not longer. Now is the perfect time to make sure your animals will be safe if such tragedies were to occur. Here are some important things to do:<\/p>\n