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    It's that time of year.  Hurricane Season.  We all learned a very important lesson from Hurricane Katrina:  DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS!  Because you will be traveling with an animal in tow, you need to have a pet-friendly evacuation plan.  Do the research in advance.  If you cannot find a pet-friendly hotel in the area that you are evacuating to, look into boarding facilities and kennels in the area.  Have the phone numbers of a few places at hand.  You can go to www.petswelcome.com for a list of some pet-friendly lodgings by area.  AVH's sister hospital, Klienpeter Veterinary Hospital in Baton Rouge, will make every effort to accomodate displaced pets in that area.  
    If you are taking a vacation this hurricane season and are planning on leaving your pet in the city, make sure you have an evacuation plan for him or her if you are not there.  Every boarding facility in the city is required by law to have an evacuation policy.  However, each policy is different and no policy is foolproof.  The owner has the greatest responsibility when it comes to securing reliable evacuation.  You can check out our hurricane evacuation policy on our website under the 'Forms' or 'Boarding' sections.  If your pet is staying at home or with a sitter, make sure you coordinate a plan in advance.
    We all know that getting ready to evacuate is hard enough without having to worry about getting our pets prepared.  AVH recommends putting together an 'Evac-Pac' for your pet in advance so you only have to grab and go.  A few things to include:

• Vaccination records-We can print these out for you at any time. Also, order a Pet ID card from us today. It is a compact, business-card size and has your pet's photo and vaccine schedule. Keep it in your wallet or in your pet's Evac-Pac.
• Leash and collar
• Food and water bowls-You should also pack food and water. The AVMA recommends packing a 2-week supply.
• Medications-You should have at least one dose of flea and/or heartworm preventative on hand. Make sure you have plenty of any necessary prescription medicine.
• Cage or carrier-Labled with your contact info.
• Blankets
• Litter, litter pan and scoop

You can see an extended list at http://www.avma.org/disaster/saving_family.asp#sm_evacuation.

Remember, we are here to help!  Call our office if you have any questions.  In case of office closure due to a hurricane, we can be reached at office@audubonvet.com.  We can't control the weather, but we can be as prepared as possible!