Preparing for an Emergency (Copy)
We wanted to share some steps to protect your Kerry. While the specifics can vary tremendously based on individual circumstances, there are some basics that everyone should consider..
The first critical item is to identify people who can help in case of an emergency, especially someone who lives nearby and can quickly provide short-term care. The second step is to create a document with all relevant information: your vet’s contact information, immunization records, food, heart worm and other medication schedules, your pet-sitter or boarding preference, and your pets known commands. We updated our document several times a year, generally when our pet sitter was coming. It is also vital to carry a card in your purse/wallet, and include a note in your phone’s emergency medical ID, that you have a pet at home and whom to contact. If you are traveling with your Kerry, carry the document and tape it to their kennel or other obvious place.
Last, and perhaps the hardest, general step is to help your Kerry be resilient. Crate training is critical for transporting or in an emergency situation. This doesn’t mean that your dog needs to be crated in your home, just that he or she would be comfortable in a crate should the situation require it. Similarly, knowing simple commands (sit, down, leave it, etc) makes it easier for someone to care for your dog should it be required. Socialization also helps: while not all Kerrys will be good with other dogs, help them be as tolerant as possible. Finally, if your dog has any separation anxiety, try to make even incremental improvements. All these not only make your dog’s day-to-day life easier, it smoothes the way should your dog ever need rescue help,
In addition to those three basics, it helps to be prepared for specific situations. While there are a variety of reasons why Kerries end up in rescue, two of the most common are human health issues or death. Sometimes health issue progress slowly, making it harder to care for our Kerry just when we need our Kerry’s love the most. A good practice is to ask someone you trust to tell you when you are not able to appropriately care for your beloved pet. This is a very hard conversation, but we have seen it make a big difference for all involved. Also, consider what options are available depending on what is needed: can you hire a dog walker to come multiple times a day if you are able to otherwise care for your Kerry?
The most difficult situation is when a human passes away, as someone needs to step in and make the right decisions quickly. We’ve seen this work successfully, and have seen it fail miserable. One person with terminal cancer planned ahead. She let the Foundation know of her situation, and her sons immediately called us to take the Kerry girl into foster care when it was the right time. Since the human provided the Foundation with all the records and care information, the Kerry seamlessly moved to her foster/new forever home. While we all would hope that our survivors would “do the right thing”, that isn’t always a clear path especially in the midst of grief. Nobody plans to fail a dog, but non-dog owners may not realize that there is breed rescue, or know to call the breeder, or think to hire a dog walker or pet sitter during the interim.
How you legally provide for your pet is something to discuss with your attorney or family. We encourage you to clearly document who should care for your Kerry, consider whether transferable pet insurance is appropriate, and if possible provide funds for your pet’s care. As we have all experienced, vet care can be very expensive. If a family member will care for your Kerry, easing the financial burden is a welcome gift. Similarly, the Foundation greatly appreciates it when someone can make a donation to help defray costs when the dog is accepted into rescue. The plans need to be reviewed regularly and updated as needed.
While it isn’t fun to plan for emergencies, we all want to ensure our Kerrys are protected.
