each dog and include con- tact information for every- one concerned. Include your vet’s information. • Make sure your designee has a copy of the plan and that your ex- ecutor and attorney have one too. • Be sure someone has a key to your home and that others know how to reach that person. • Post this information in a prominent place in your home and also carry it with you. For example “In case of emergency, call ___________ at (000) 000-0000. • Contact your attorney to be sure your will is in order and appro- priate for your state. Do you travel with your dogs? All of us in the dog show world have heard about exhibitors being involved in an accident on the way to or from the show. In the cases where the people are taken to the hospital, what hap- pens to the dogs? Actually, in most cases, if there is no owner able to take care of them at the time, they will be taken to a shelter or impound facil- ity. How this is managed depends on where the incident happens and what facilities are available. This is why you need an individual identifi- cation on each animal which should include a microchip, and some sort of easily readable tag or collar or crate tag. The microchip needs to have a second phone number in its registration which is someone who doesn’t travel with you. That way,
someone can be contacted to take care of retrieving the animals until you are again able to care for them. If the pickup will take time, have some- one authorized to pay for short term boarding in a local veterinary clinic. Make sure your vet can be contacted to verify vaccinations so that the dogs can be sent there. One way to provide this information to first responders could be by having an information/ emergency information card on each crate with instructions. Rescue groups are always stretched to the limit. If more people could develop viable plans for the care of their pets in emergency situa- tions, the animals would be less stressed and rescue would not have to become involved. You love your dogs. You want what is best for them. Plan for it. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Allynid (Lyn-
nie) Bunten is a retired edu- cator who has has been in res- cue for over 20 years. She has started two res- cue groups for Chihuahuas and
serves as Rescue Chair for Chihuahua Club of America as well as Texas Chi- huahua Club. She helps other rescue groups from time to time with common goals and continues to seek ways to stretch the resources for rescue.
58 • T op N otch T oys , A ugust 2019
Powered by FlippingBook