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disaster preparedness for rabbits
franksolich:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze27h5b/id31.html
Oh my.
--- Quote ---Because your rabbit is a valued member of your family, you need to include him/her in your plans for unforeseen problems such as national emergencies, personal emergencies, and natural disasters. Planning ahead is also imperative for responding rapidly if your rabbit manages to stray too far from home and gets lost.
If you must evacuate, the most important thing you can do to protect your rabbit is to evacuate him/her too.
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR RABBIT BEHIND!
Everyday emergencies like major traffic tie-ups, sudden medical illness, being called away, can also pose problems in caring for your rabbit. Pre-planning for these potential events can help.
If your rabbit is lost, begin to search for him/her immediately. The less time that has elapsed, the better your chance of finding your rabbit.
DISASTER PLANNING
1. IN THE MIDST OF A DISASTER IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND SHELTER FOR YOUR COMPANION ANIMALS SO YOU MUST PLAN AHEAD.
Companion animals are not accepted at shelters. Only service animals are accepted. Keep a list of "pet friendly" hotels and motels immediately outside of your area. Include phone numbers and directions. Put this information with your other disaster supplies. Make sure you check on species, size, and number restrictions. Ask if these restrictions or "no pet" policies can be waived in an emergency. If you are forewarned of a disaster, call ahead for reservations.
2. ASSEMBLE A RABBIT DISASTER KIT IN A WATERPROOF CONTINER THAT CAN BE CARRIED EASILY. IT SHOULD INCLUDE:
Food and water to last for a minimum of 72 hours: Keep pellets and hay in water-tight containers. If it is possible to take vegetables, seal salads in plastic bags and keep them in a cooler.
Sturdy, top and front opening carrier to evacuate your rabbit safely.
Food and water dishes.
Rabbit first aid kit, current medications, prescriptions, and medical records.
Proof of ownership, pictures of your rabbit, and pictures of you with your rabbit.
Lost posters in case you get separated from your rabbit.
Harness and leash (if you can get your rabbit to tolerate this) with ID tag on it.
Blank ID tags, adhesive tape, and indelible ink pen to write temporary information on the tags. Write the name of a relative or friend outside of the disaster area. Put the tag on the harness or the carrier.
If your rabbit has a micro chip, note that on the ID tag that is on the carrier.
List containing important telephone numbers, feeding schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems, name of telephone number of your rabbit's vet in case you have to foster or board your rabbit.
Litter boxes, paper towels, small amount of white vinegar to use as a sanitizer, plastic bags to dispose of waste.
Favorite toys, blanket, fleece pad, etc.
3. Rabbit Specific Suggestions (Thanks to Jason Laube)
Have a decent supply of food and water accessible in the rooms where your buns roam. This supply is in containers that can easily be taken while transporting the buns. Most importantly is keeping a supply of pellets in an airtight container WITH the carrier cage and sealed bottled water with small ramekin (rubber/sticky/or velcroed bottom is good so they don't knock it over).
Keep a couple of towels in the room. That way if you have to evacuate immediately you can throw them over the buns, and even if they are in panic, you can wrap them up tight burrito style and keep them from injuring themselves. Then if time is too tight you can leave with two wrapped buns in a towel, held tight, nothing else. If you have a bit more time you can put them into their carriers.
Keep the carrier cage in the rabbit's living quarters or next to a cage if you cage if you have to cage them. This way you can take that towel bundled with them in it tight and place it in the carrier. They don't have much time to struggle and they have some movement in the cage so they don't hurt themselves. Inside/beside the cage attached to the carrier, keep a roll of paper towels in addition to the supply of pellets and water. This is for comfort if you do not have access to clean the cage easily or if you have lots of buns to transport. At least you can clean up major messes. If you can leave Carefresh/or other limited mess bedding in the carrier that may also be beneficial but will only work for at most 2 days.
Other environmental factors too prepare for if evacuating/total loss of power:
-COLD: if you had to evacuate in -20F temperature it would be harrowing for the buns. Wrap the entire carrier cage with a towel. This will only provide a few extra minutes of warmth and protection but it is a start especially if it is windy outside.
-HEAT: if it is HOT and low humidity a portable mister, a battery powered portable fan, ice/cold pack, if you can grab them, will help the buns.
-SMOKE: there is a special plastic bag style hood with smoke filter to give you precious few minutes to breath and escape. If need be, keep the bun in a towel. Place him/her inside this hood and hold them tight in there. Smoke will affect them much faster than it will affect a human. The cheaper and more logical way would be to wet the towel you are going to grab them with and keep them in it but if you have multiple buns this may be difficult or impossible. You can get them in a carrier and then cover the entire carrier with a wet towel all around.
3. IN CASE YOU ARE NOT AT HOME WHEN DISASTER STRIKES
Ahead of time, ask a trusted neighbor if they would be able to transport your rabbits to meet you at a prearranged location. Make sure this neighbor knows where your rabbit is, is comfortable with him/her, knows where your disaster supplies are kept, and has keys to your home. If you have a pet sitter, find out well in advance if s/he is available to help.
Ensure that your rabbit has access to plenty of water. Top off his/her water bowl every day before you leave for work. Leave out an extra bowl of clean water.
Give you rabbit a bigger meal at breakfast and a smaller one in the evening to balance out. Keep plenty of hay available in several different places.
Carry the telephone numbers of your local police and fire stations. You can authorize them to enter your home and rescue your rabbits.
Buy a timed feeder to dispense pellets for your rabbit. They are available in most pet stores and provide food up to three days.
IF YOUR RABBIT IS LOST
PLAN AHEAD
Since most rabbits will not suffer wearing a harness or a collar where you could put an ID tag, have him/her micro chipped or tattooed. A good time to have this done is when your rabbit is under anesthesia for spaying or neutering. Numbered micro chips are about the size of a grain of rice that a vet implants with a syringe under your rabbit's skin, right behind his/her head and between the shoulder blades. This procedure adds about $35 to the spay/neuter costs. You will fill out a registration form that ties your information to the number on your rabbit's micro chip. This costs an additional fee of about $12.50. If your rabbit is lost and comes into a shelter or vet's office, s/he can be scanned for the number. When the number is entered into the associated database, your tracking information is accessed.
Make sure you keep your information up to date.
Keep a recent photo of your rabbit, both digital and print. The picture should include something of a known size, a soccer ball for example, so that a size comparison can be made about your rabbit.
Keep a description of your rabbit on file. The description should include your rabbit's name, gender, age, weight, and any distinctive markings. Use the photo and the description to make a lost poster if need be.
FINDING YOUR RABBIT
Time is of the essence. Begin your search immediately. First, file a report with all the animal control offices, rabbit shelters that accept rabbits, and rabbit rescue organizations (click on Adopt a Rabbit for a list of shelters and rescue organizations). Check back with them daily.
Create a lost poster with a photo and description of your rabbit on it. Include the date and location of where your rabbit was lost. Offer a reward. Advertise your contact phone numbers. The best one is a cell phone that allows you to retrieve messages. Search your neighborhood up to a three-mile radius. Blanket your neighborhood with your posters. Ask neighbors, children, postal delivery persons, and regular visitors to your neighborhood if they have seen your rabbit. Give everyone you talk to a copy of your lost poster. Make sure everyone knows that you are offering a reward.
Post your lost poster in public locations such as near-by veterinary offices, grocery stores, libraries, etc.
Contact local radio stations and newspapers about placing a lost pet ad.
Check the classifieds in your major and community newspapers every day for reports of found animals.
Hire a pet detective to track your rabbit (see links this page).
Go to the "Adopt A Rabbit" page and click on the links to the shelters. Most of their web sites have information about finding lost pets.
Visit every local shelter and asked to check every section, even the ones closed to the public such as the areas for injured and quarantined animals. Your description may not match the description that the shelter used so do not depend on their point of view. Keep in mind that shelters are legally required to keep an animal for only five days before euthanizing.
Check national web sites at these links:
Lost and Found: internet information resource for the recovery of lost and found companion animals. www.lostandfound.com
Pet FBI: Ohio lost pets
Pets Missing in Action offers a free listing with optional photo in your region of the country. www.pmia.com
ADVERTISING FOR YOUR LOST RABBIT
To place an ad in The Washington Post classified section, "Pets & Animals," call (202)334-6200. Outside of the metro area call 1-800-753-2527.
To place an ad in the "Precious Pet" feature of the county (Montgomery, Fairfax, etc.)"Extra" section of The Washington Post, call (202)334-7926 for all metro locations. Outside of the metro area call 1-800-627- 1150. The extra section is published on Thursdays.
How do I make final arrangements for my rabbit?
"final arrangements" at http://mysite.verizon.net/vze27h5b/id34.html, same web-site
RESPONSIBLE CARE IS THE RIGHT OF ALL RABBITS
--- End quote ---
I'm not sure what to make of this; I found all sorts of disaster preparedness for rabbits when googling something else.
Carl:
I will be going for the morning walk through the fields and woods when it gets daylight.
Take my word for it,rabbits will do just fine,they will find plenty of company. :-)
franksolich:
--- Quote from: CarlR on January 11, 2008, 05:20:18 AM ---I will be going for the morning walk through the fields and woods when it gets daylight.
Take my word for it,rabbits will do just fine,they will find plenty of company. :-)
--- End quote ---
It's sort of really cold in the Sandhills this morning; not so much temperaturewise, but there's a bite to the wind.
But from the windows here, I see all sorts of wildlife romping and playing.
That doesn't include Abbie, Snow, Junior, Apricot, Floyd, Gordon, Harold, George, Ellie, and Leo, the cats, though, but I imagine in some sort of disaster, they would survive. I mean, these are cats that are more of a match to coyotes even. (And drunks wandering around.)
I never thought much about what to do with the cats in case of a disaster, but these being cats, I imagine if I up and left, they'd still survive. I'd hate to lose them, having so much money and time invested in them (veterinary care and all that), and I'd do all I reasonably could to keep them in such an instance, but if it happens, well, I imagine the cats will survive.
Carl:
We had a house cat back in the 80s to early 90s that hadn`t been outside since she was a kitten.
She got out once when she was fairly old and we figured she wouldn`t last a day on her own.
We finally found her a couple of weeks later mo worse for wear.
They are pretty resourseful.
Happy Fun Ball:
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