Pets Should Be Top-of-mind When Preparing for the Storm

When hurricanes subside, the destruction that’s left over is difficult for both two-footed and four-footed friends. But as thoughts on hurricane preparedness have evolved, so have the attitudes toward helping our furry friends weather the storm before it’s upon us.

“Early on, people would assume someone else would take care of their pets,” said Walter Woolf, a Tampa-based veterinarian and founder of Air Animal Pet Movers. “Cat owners didn’t have cat carriers and dog owners didn’t have a plan.”

Woolf founded Air Animal, one of the nation’s premier pet relocation companies, in 1977 as an adjunct business to his veterinary practice near the Tampa airport. Air Animal provides safe and seamless relocation experiences for pets and their families. The company’s team of move managers coordinate relocations for dogs, cats, birds, fish, and even the occasional horse around the world.

In the past, people would neglect their own plan of evacuation and scramble at the last minute to make decisions. Those reactions to impending storms, like Hurricanes Helene and Milton,often lead them to drop off their pets at emergency veterinary practices or shelters hoping they would be taken care of. That approach overwhelmed organizations that simply weren’t meant to house hundreds of animals, particularly at the last minute.

Today, Woolf says pet owners are much savvier about planning for their pets as storms approach places like Tampa and other parts of Florida. Much like people should have a “go bag” packed with essential items so they can evacuate at a moment’s notice, so should pets, Woolf said. The pet “go bag” should include harnesses, leashes, food, water and bowls for drinking, and the animal’s medication if necessary. That way there’s no scrambling when it’s time to get out of dodge.

Woolf was dealing with his own storm recovery issues from Helene and Milton as he managed the cleanup of his property in the Tampa area. He said it’s likely he won’t be able to move back into his home until sometime in 2025 based on the storm and flood damage.  

Assuming people have a plan of evacuation, Woolf maintains that travel with pets has become easier. For example, most hotels along evacuation routes, and in general, now allow pets.  

However, pet owners should be prepared to pay a pet “cleanup” fee which is used by hotels to pay outside contractors to do special cleanings on rooms that have had pets as guests. Typically, those fees range from $150-to-$200.

As part of your pet’s “go bag,” Woolf suggests that you include your pet’s vaccination records. Many hotels that accept pets will require proof of those vaccinations before they allow them to stay.

While the effects of climate change have begun to make storms worse – like the ones that hit Tampa Bay – they’ve also begun to change people’s mindset about preparation for their pets.

“The hotel industry has become more accommodating to the evacuee and pet owners have become more conditioned to planning ahead,” said Woolf.

About Olympia

 Olympia is a full-service residential and commercial moving company and commercial services firm. In addition to the packing, loading and hauling household goods for homeowners who are moving across the street or around the country, Olympia performs commercial services including warehousing for FF+E projects, decommissioning and liquidation, facilities management and logistics and much more. Olympia is an INTERstate Agent for Wheaton World Wide Moving. You can learn more about Olympia at olympiamoving.com and Olympiaofficemovers.com or call 800-222-4744