According to the Centers for Disease Control, the bond between people and their pets can increase fitness, lower stress, and bring happiness to their owners. To protect these valuable furry family members when extreme weather and natural disasters occur, make a plan and prepare a disaster kit for them ahead of time. 

Extreme weather and natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, drought, extreme heat, and wildfires are occurring at increased rates due to a changing climate. These phenomena not only affect humans, but also household pets. Be sure to include your pet in your preparedness plans before a disaster strikes.

As the climate becomes warmer, the number of extreme heat events in the United States continues to rise and ticks are able to expand their ranges. Since dogs are susceptible to tickborne diseases and heat-related illnesses, it is important to monitor them during the summer to keep them safe. Learn how you can best prevent ticks on your pets and keep them safe in the heat. 

Learn More

• Read on to test your knowledge about pet safety, and see if you can identify some common dangers that your pet faces in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Sources

• Centers for Disease Control. 2017. "Disaster Preparedness and Your Pet". Accessed online August 21. https://www.cdc.gov/features/petsanddisasters/
• Centers for Disease Control. 2017. "Healthy Pets Healthy People". Accessed online August 21. https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/index.html 
• Centers for Disease Control. 2017. "Heat and Pets". Accessed online August 21. https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/pets.html
• Centers for Disease Control. 2017. "Preventing Ticks on Your Pets". Accessed online August 21. https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_pets.html