So you decided to bug out to a motel with your pet. Planning will make your job easier. There's a service on the web called Kayak. This service lets you find your room, including pets. Since the American Red Cross does not take pets in shelters, they encourage planning now for what you will do. Contact hotels and motels outside your immediate area to check policies on accepting pets and restrictions on number, size, and species. Ask if "no pet" policies could be waived in an emergency. Keep a list of "pet friendly" places, including phone numbers, with other disaster information and supplies. If you have notice of an impending disaster, call ahead for reservations. Once again, save receipts. If the Federal Emergency Management Agency does not get Presidential approval for Individual Assistance, your home owners' or renters' insurance may pay for the cost of your evacuation. Check your local agent to be sure. My agent advises this is covered under loss of use. Personally, my coverage is $39K for the home and $2K for the apartment. Maybe now would be a good time to call your agent to see what your coverages may be?
Very good post! We have two dogs that always travel with us and we have had a lot of hotels turn us down.
Happened in KY Read what happened in KY. During disasters, PLEASE pay attention to disaster declarations. Individual Assistance is for Individuals. Public Assistance is for government. Don't take a vendor's word that generators will be paid. Don't give money to a repairman before the work is done. These are all too common mistakes that costs Citizens money during a disaster.
Also, if you do make a reservation at a hotel that has a pet friendly policy, make sure you notify the hotel when you make your hotel. Call the hotel, if you have time, a few days before your arrival, and the morning of your arrival. Great post!
Bug out to a hotel- issues I helped a friend bug out to a pet friendly hotel as Hurricane Ike approached. Getting in was fine. At the height of the approach of the storm, the power failed at their location. The next thing they heard was the manager going room to room telling people that they had to leave, into the storm, as the hotel chain policy forbade residents when thre was no power. I made a call to the state eoc to raise cain about this; shortly after, the manager came back to allow them to stay. I advise checking on this policy in advance with any hotel that you are considering for shelter.
Interesting. I wonder how they would force everyone in the hotel to leave if they refused...at gun point...?
Hurricane evacuations While that is very good advice, I'd also add that one plan for a Bug Out Shelter further away from the forecast track of the Storm. Also, consider a financial backup plan for the fact that the Banks will not have power. One family ran out of credit cards before the motel operator asked for help for his customers. During Hurricane Rita, folks were evacuating into Oklahoma and Kansas because that's where they found the rooms.
You make an excellent point about pets! One of the things I have done for hurricane preparedness is to look at the elevations of the hotels in question and check out their construction. In many cases you will be unable to evacuate far enough away to truly get away from a hurricane so having a better place to go is better than having no place to go... Another idea is to buy a travel trailer cheap (I grabbed a 30 footer off of Craigs list for $5000) and use that as part of your evac plans. There are quite a few places you can pull into for the night to sleep that will cost you nothing and the pet policy is whatever you decide.
Alternatives to Motels Care and feeding of a travel trailer can be intimidating to some. As an alternative to motels, consider relatives and friends ... they may like you enough for a day or week. :wave: Also, MUCH more labor intensive, CouchSurfing may be an option for a night at a time. It promises a good way to meet new people. It's not for everyone and there are dangers as well there. They do a good job with disclosing the hazards.
You are right. Especially a used one as it has someone else's problems. On the other hand most folks on here seem pretty handy so I am suspicious it is well within their abilities to keep one operational.
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) has mandated that all localities develop and implement a plan for sheltering pets as well as people. Prior to my retirement, we developed a pet sheltering plan with the help and assistance of several local vets. In fact, we designated one entire corridor of one of our high schools, which is also a designated shelter for people. We have crates for the animals stored nearby and ready when needed. Pet owners who come to the shelter can bring their pets and house them in another part of the building. Care and feeding of the animals is done by the owners themselves, thereby eliminating the need to increase staffing for the purpose of sheltering pets. You should inquire about this capability in the place where you intend to evacuate. Not all have implemented pet sheltering, but many have.
This is very good to know. I know way to many people who will not evacuate during hurricane warnings because they cannot take their pets. As a pet owner, allow me to say thank you from everyone who has pets!
