The Back Bay condominium building that had a nine-alarm fire earlier this month was pet friendly. Many residents were at work when they learned that the place where they'd left their dogs and cats was on fire. It's every pet lover's worst nightmare.
Naturally we thought about how we could keep our Maggie Mae safer if it ever happened at our home. Penny wrote her "City Paws" Newspaper column about it that week. Click over To the Back Bay Sun to learn about the wonderful work of the Rescue League of Boston (ARLBoston) staff at the fire.
We wanted to share the tips portion of that column with our Sunday Dog readers and encourage you to add your own ideas, suggestions and questions to the comment section. We'll try to get the experts to answer any questions you have.
How You Can Prepare for an Emergency
"Have a carrier nearby your door. That way if somebody did find an animal they have something to put it in. Or a leash," said Brian O'Connor, Manager of Animal Rescue Services for ARLBoston. This would also help if you have to leave quickly with your pet.
"Carry a picture in your wallet, so you can give the rescuers a picture of your animals," Martha Smith-Blackmore, DVM, Director of Veterinary Medical Services at ARLBoston suggested.
Consider keeping your pet in a room with a closed interior door when you're not there. One fire victim learned that firefighters found her front door gone and her dog running loose. This Puggle was caught and brought out by the fire department. Having a collar and license on your dog will also help.
Think about where you and your animal might live for a few days if you couldn't go home. Boston has many pet friendly hotels. Find one you like and add their number to your cell phone. Then you won't have to figure this out in a crisis.
Finally, send a donation to the Animal Rescue League of Boston. They were there for the residents of the fire building because of donations, large and small, that were made by pet lovers like you. You can learn how at www.arlboston.org.
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Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo: © 2009 Penny Cherubino
