It has only been a short time since southern California was rocked by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake, re-igniting fears of the “big one”. Governor Gavin Newsom has urged residents to make sure their evacuation plans are in place and seismologists noted a similar quake in a major city like San Francisco could easily collapse buildings and start devastating fires.

An evacuation plan is a necessity for every home, especially if you live in the Bay Area. If you don’t already have a plan in place there are plenty of resources available to get yourselves ready – –  including one of our favorites a handy shopping list compiled by Wirecutter. https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/emergency-preparedness/

We understand that many homeowners create their evacuation plans for their homes and practice them with their kids, but far fewer have considered one for their pets. At Legacy Real Estate we understand a family is made up of much more than just its human members so we took a moment to compile these steps to help you add your pets to your evacuation plan.

Know who is in charge of the pet.

A key part to acting quickly is knowing who is in charge of what. To ensure no one, or no pet, is left behing one adult needs to be assigned to the pets. This frees up the other parent and children to focus on their parts in this stressful moment.

Add a pet carrier and map to your evacuation kit.

When the time comes to evacuate, you should not be wasting time looking for important items nor knowing where you are going. If your pets require carriers, keep them next to your evacuation kit so they are easy to find.

Practice makes perfect.

Your pets should be included in your in your evacuation drills. Importantly, it’ll help you see how they respond and help you decide whether the pet carrier is a necessity. Getting your 50lb cat or dog out of the second story window may not be as easy as you want!

Things will go wrong. Just be ready.

No matter how many times you drill your escape, it’s still possible that your beloved pet will run off in the commotion. Most vets and shelters recommend a GPS-compatible tag (microchip) that will help you be re-united with your pets once it’s safe to return to the area. You can shop early and find the best ‘survival’ kit to match your needs.

We wish you all the best with your emergency preparations. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the advice and recommendations from our very own furry friend, Luna.