The Unexpected Plan B
Before the holidays some family, friends, and I encountered a situation with a friend after an accident that brought up a lot of questions in regard to pet care, house care, and all the things that being unexpectedly “offline” can bring up.
It feels important to share some of the things that came up, so you too are not caught unaware and left searching for answers to have your backup plan in place quickly and seamlessly to address the home needs and your animal family members’ care with as little hiccups as necessary.
First off, having something on your keyring, in your wallet, or on your person that notifies emergency personnel in the event you are not conscious at the time:
Who to call (a primary and backup in the event one is out of town or unreachable) and for those people to have a list of people to call to handle (house, yard, mail, and pet-related care)
Who can learn about your health or medical updates/status if you are in the hospital and who can those chosen people relay that information to…
Something that notifies whoever found you that animal family members are at home alone, how many, type, names, and who to call.
Here are some additional questions to think about and to have on hand that your backup people have access to:
Have a list of the brand of food, how much food, how to make it (if it is homemade), where you purchase it, any other supplements, medications (and how to give; what are your tips and tricks), groomer, veterinarian, or favorite treats (are the allergic to anything).
Identify who has a list of where your essential paperwork for both the human and animal family members is located.
If you pay things by check, who has legal rights to sign your checks or access to pay the bills online?
Phone numbers for your employer or associates to notify your status.
With the below questions this is important for the people to know about making your animal family members feel more at ease in an unusual experience:
Do your animal family members have any fears/anxiety (thunder, fireworks, loud noises etc)
What are some favorite things they love to do with you and what is your typical routine with them?
Who is on a regular schedule to come to your house or take care of your yard, does someone need to be there with the pets, are any doors or doggy doors shut, and the like.
Key things to have the person supporting your pets in an emergency circumstance share with your animal companion(s):
Be open and honest with the animal family members – they sense when you are hiding something from them as they read emotions, energy, and can smell changes.
I shared by speaking to the feline (like I would talk to you) when I saw their person, what the status was, what we knew or didn’t know, when they were moved from one place to another, and anything else that surfaced such as new equipment coming into the home, if there were fumes or noises coming from outside the home/apartment and what it was to the best of my knowledge, if/when caregivers would be there – and if this was something new, why they were coming;
I also relayed to others that were helping care for the animal being ways to play and engage with her, making sure not to launder any pillowcases that would have her human’s scent as it is comforting to them.
For the friends who were checking in with her, I guided them to keep the lines of communication open with her for consistency.
Finding a music station that mimics what you people generally listen to can be very supportive to have on in the background during the day. We would turn on the music during the first visit of the day and turn it off at the dinner/last visit mimicking the normal day and night routine.
Animal beings often know more about what is going on than we do, so keeping an open dialog with them about what we are learning helps them feel like part of the support team and helps them maintain a sense of calm amidst the unusual and often chaotic situation. Know that they will need love, connection, understanding, and compassion too.
Luckily with our friend, others knew there was a pet in the apartment, they had seen the person within minutes of the accident, and they had immediate access to help with the feline and get mail. I had information about where food, treats, and litter were located, how much, and when as well as where toys were kept and ways she liked to play. I was able to relay key details that supported the others who lived in the vicinity to care for her.
Creating an unexpected plan b is important. Believe me, as much as we are prepared there will be something we don’t know until we are in the situation. The more done in advance allows your emergency contacts to have a smoother execution of the plan and quicker access, relief, and care of your pets.
