In response to the increasing concern regarding Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Animal Welfare League Queensland is implementing a series of plans to mitigate the risks associated with this.
These proactive measures are being taken in an effort to keep our animals, staff and volunteers safe, and allow you to focus on supporting our community, continuing our lifesaving work and maintain the high standards of animal care we always provide.
This is now a rapidly evolving situation and AWLQ is encouraging pet owners to implement their own plans to ensure their pets are cared for should they be required to self-isolate or hospitalised due to COVID-19.
Your dog might be your closest friend giving unconditional love, and your cat, your TV couch companion, but unfortunately they can’t fend for themselves should something happen and you aren’t able to be there for them.
Having a pet care plan in place with help to provide you peace of mind knowing you will always have support available.
What can I do now to prepare for the unexpected?
In the confusion that accompanies a person’s unexpected illness, pets may be overlooked. In some cases, pets are only discovered in the person’s home days after, resulting in their safety and welfare being placed at risk.
To prevent this from happening to your pet you should take these simple precautions:
- Find at least two friends or relatives who agree to be emergency caregivers for your pets in the event that something unexpected happens to you. Provide them with keys to your home along with any important information such as feeding instructions, medical needs and the name of your pet’s vet.
- Make sure your neighbours, friends and relatives know how many pets you have and the contact details of your pet’s emergency caregivers. Your pet’s emergency caregivers should also have each other’s contact details.
- Carry a card in your wallet that advises emergency personnel you have a pet at home and lists the contact details of your pet’s emergency caregivers.
- Post “in case of emergency” stickers on your doors specifying how many and what types of pets you have. These notices will alert emergency personnel during an emergency. Ensure you remove these when you move or if you no longer have your pet.
- Display your pets emergency caregivers contact details somewhere highly visible in your home.
- Prepare a one-month supply of your pets’ medications, litter and food (if possible) along with up-to-date copies of your pets’ vaccination records.
Pets require daily care and will need immediate attention should you not be there to care for them – the importance of making these formal arrangements for temporary care of your pet should not be overlooked.
We know these are unsettling times; together we can get through this and continue to create a brighter future for animals in need.
