When preparing your pet’s emergency kit, it is essential to consider a few things. The first and foremost item to add to your pet’s emergency kit is drinking water. But how much water will they need? Although pets can survive without food for a couple of weeks, they can only last up to 72 hours without water before their bodies start to shut down.
FEMA recommends a minimum of 72 hours of emergency supply for both you and your pets. This is because shelters may take up to 72 hours to set up after a disaster, and you will usually know within 72 hours if and when you will be able to return home. It is important to note that everyone in your area may be experiencing similar situations, and grocery stores may run out of supplies quickly. Therefore, it is crucial to be prepared for your pets.
Regular drinking water and emergency drinking water differ is the expiration date. Plastic bottles have a one-year shelf life, whereas emergency drinking water is packed for a 5 to 25-year shelf life. You should never drink water from plastic bottles after their expiration date. Plastic bottles contain polyethene materials and can start to deteriorate and contaminate the water. Emergency drinking water does not require frequent rotation. Our Mayday emergency drinking water is packed in a foil sealed pouch and comes with a 5-year shelf-life. You only need to rotate every 5 years making this both convenient and cost-effective.
As for the question of how much water to put in a pet emergency kit, a general rule of thumb is ½ to 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day for a healthy pet. Therefore, a 20-pound pet would need 10 to 20 ounces of water per day.
Our pets are part of our families and rely on us to keep them safe. Start preparing today by making an emergency plan that includes your pets and having a dedicated pet emergency kit ready for them.
