Leaving your pets behind in an emergency..

[DogLover9501]

Originally posted by kittycats_delight
I could never do that. I would die with them before I would leave them.

Ditto.

We don't have to worry about hurricanes here, but I know I would never leave them behind. Their lives are just as important as my own, or anyone elses.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

I don't EVEN WANT TO THINK about leaving my sweet baby girl behind in an emergency, but there is no possible way i could do that. I just love her too much.

[chrissycat21]

I would never leave my pets, ever.

There aren't any hurricanes in Chicago, but sometimes we do get tornados. When I was 7 there was a tornado spotted near our house and the first thing my dad did was get everyone in the basement and then he ran back upstairs to get Taffy's cage.

My mom and I have talked about if there were a fire how I'm not allowed to go back in for any of my pets. I don't think I'd be able to live with the guilt if they were killed and I could have some how saved them.

[luvofallhorses]

I would never leave my furkids behind. They will all go with me and like lizbud said they are better with me than without

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I'm all my fur kids have. They depend on me.
I could never leave them behind. I would never be able to live with myself if I did and something happened to them. I'd be haunted by their little faces waiting for me to save them for ever.
No! We stick together. I'd rather meet my maker with them than try to explain why I abandoned them.

[slick]

Originally posted by momoffuzzyfaces
I'd rather meet my maker with them than try to explain why I abandoned them.

You and me both.

It's funny but I live in a highrise and almost everyone has a pet or two. Whenever there is a fire alarm, I pack up my kitties and walk down to the lobby. Do you know that not even half the building will do that and some that do, leave their pets behind? I just don't understand. How do they know it's a false alarm??? It's gets me so upset every time.

[Giselle]

Well...how fast does the evacuation have to be? If the evacuation time allows us to plan ahead for our future temporary shelter, then I would bring all my creatures without a doubt. However, I see many of you are speaking mainly for your dogs and cats. I don't know if you guys are just temporarily forgetting the other pets, but I have several very large cages full of budgies and a cockatiel. If the evacuation is immediate and requires for us to leave NOW, well...I shudder to think of what I have to sacrifice. I also worry about those people in Hurricane Alley who have multiple large exotic birds, such as Macaws and Cockatoos. Those guys have HUGE cages that sometimes require two people to move.

I pray that I'll never have to face such a heartwrenching decision, AND that those exotic bird owners are faring well as well as their precious feathered friends.

[PJ's Mom]

It seems to me (and please correct me if I'm wrong) that people have enough time to take action when they find out a hurricane is approaching. I've never been in one, so I may be way off.

Now, having said that, it also seems to me that those who leave their pets behind didn't take enough time and interest in protecting them in the first place.

So, in answer to your question, there is no way in hell I would leave my pets behind. I would drive out of harms way with them and sleep in the car with them if I had to.

[aly]

I am sitting here crying just thinking of these horrible situations. I would never in a million years leave my home without all of my furbabies crammed into the car with me. I can't even imagine people leaving animals behind just because a hotel won't allow pets. I'd sneak them in, sleep in the car, find other accomodations, etc etc etc!!!!!

[G535]

Where I go my cat goes or I don't go!

[joycenalex]

we had one last christmas, and my power was off for 4 days. the outside temp was 5degrees, and the inside temp, in the closed bedroom was 40degreesafter 24 hrs. the dog and i went to a friends to stay, who had very territorial cats, i couldn't take mine. i know that one of my cats gets very stressed when taken from the house for anything, screaming and stress defecation and urination, so my cats stayed in the closed bedroom, with food and litter for 2 days. they really didn't suffer, i still feel guilty. when there is a storm coming, i corral the cats in the bathroom and harness alex. i have an emergency bad, with food and animal meds. i need to do more, just in case....

[beeniesmom]

I would NEVER leave any pf my pets at a shelter in case of emergency. If I can't bring em, I STAY HOME!
People are the worst animals sometimes.
They should have a registry of people who do such a thing and prohibit them from owning an animal again.
My question is: why would anyone even think of owning a pet if won't be considered part of the family? It would be like leaving a child behind.

[GraciesMommy]

Usually you do have plenty of time...sometimes even a couple of days notice...they can't always tell what path the Hurricane will take...sometimes they turn...but you generally have enough time to get away..problem is so many wait til the last minute and then it takes hours to get out of town due to traffic, wrecks, etc.

[gemini9961]

Like GraciesMommy said we usually do have enough time to leave it's just some people like to wait...ding dongs. Then the roads are all backed up and it's a mess. I will always take my girls with me...no matter what. As far as I am concerned they are my kids and like a family, we all stick together. I'll sleep in the car if a hotel would not allow us. I would never leave them behind.

[kitten645]

After the '89 earthquake in SF, I walked six miles back to my house with my sister. We came home to our apartment that was in shambles. All the kitchen cupboards had flown open with ALL the contents flying out. In the living room, two large bookshelves had toppled over and had fallen on the dining room table. There under the table were our two cats, Jersey and Bobcat. I swear if they had kitty hard hats they would have had them on! There was no way they were coming out from under that table! Smart boys.
Thankfully we had kitty carriers that we got out in the event of a strong aftershock. Thankfully we didn't need them.
A lady I work with lived in the Marina and her house collapsed. A bunch of us were given 20 minutes to help her get anything she could out of the house. When we got there her kitty had survived and stayed put thankfully. We were so relieved. She said she didn't care about anything else but her cat. We took the 20 minutes to pack up the cat and her supplies and throw whatever was salvageable out the window so we could could collect it outside. Thankfully she was on the top floor of the complex so while she lost her home she at least saved some of her valuables..especially her most valuable kitty!
I'd never leave my furkids behind.