Ever since my therapy cat visits have been put on hold, I’ve been at a loss for ways to make myself helpful. I mean, sure, I make you guys smile with my blog posts, but I can’t curl up with patients and offer healing purrs, or get petted by hospital staff. In fact, I worry a lot about the hospital workers I’ve gotten to know over the years. They are on the front lines of this Covid-19 pandemic, and very much at risk of getting ill themselves.
I think of them often, and send purrs from afar.
Then a few days ago, my fellow therapy pet team member, Apple the golden retriever, contacted me on Instagram. She was putting together a public service announcement. While there are lots of these collages on Instagram, featuring multiple pets and urging people to stay home, this one had a different mission. It was all about being prepared in case you get sick and have to leave your pets behind while you are in the hospital. This collage included four words, “Make a Pet Plan,” four of us therapy pets, and a caption on how to create a plan. Of course I said yes!
The other three words were provided by Love on 4 Paws therapy dogs. I provided Plan.
This is my photo. You can see the collage that appeared on Instagram below.
To make it easier to view, I’ve included the text from the caption here — I think it’s important reading. I didn’t write it, but it needs to be passed around.
“We are living in scary and unprecedented times. While it’s not fun to imagine, it is important that our pawrents take the time NOW to create a plan for us pets in case our pawrents get sick or are hospitalized due to COVID-19.
Here’s what the pawrents need to do:
- Know the facts: According to the CDC, there is no evidence that people can get COVID-19 from pets. The best place for us pets is inside the home we know and love. If our pawrents aren’t feeling well but are still able to provide care for us, keep us home.
- If our pawrents become too ill to physically care for us or if our pawrents need to be hospitalized, they need to identify someone who could take over care for us. Is there anyone else in our home who could help? Maybe a neighbor, friend, coworker, or family member who could take us in? Even a groomer, daycare, or boarding facility may be able to help in a time of need with advance notice. But the most important thing our pawrents can do today is come up with two potential pet plans and talk directly with those people so they’re prepared in case they’re called to action.
- Prepare a pet supply kit. It may not seem necessary today, but it will be hugely helpful if the pawrents find themselves in an emergency situation without the ability to track down the proper supplies. If possible, the kit should include:
- Name and contact information for the person who can care for your pets
- Name and contact information for a back-up in case your go-to is no longer able to help
- Food, treats, a leash, a couple of toys, and any other supplies necessary to care for your pet for at least two weeks
- A crate or carrier to transport your pet
- Vaccination records
- Collar with ID tags (don’t forget to make sure their microchip info is up to date)
- Medications and prescriptions, along with instructions
- Daily care instructions
- Your vet’s contact information
Shout out to @wischumane for initiating this important Public Service Announcement. Please help spread the word.”
If you want to spread the word too, you can copy it from my Instagram post, and make sure to include the shout out and the hashtag #makeapetplan.
This is a very important post, Summer. It can be very scary when pets only have one pawrent.
That is such important information! Thanks for doing that public announcement, Summer Sweets. Hopefully someday soon you’ll be able to return to doing your therapy visits. Kisses.
Very apt info at this time.
What important information, Summer! Our mom has designated someone to take care of us, just in case. Just like she always does, so it’s nothing new. However, she did not write down our feeding instructions! She’s going to do that today.
Summer, this is really important stuff, and we are grateful to you and your therapy pet team for getting the message out. These are such crazy times, it’s now more important than ever to have a plan for our pets.
This is very important information. Thanks for sharing it. Ki has a book with her info, and she has “godparents” who will look out for her in case of emergency.
This is TW’s big concern since I’m not a people cat. I will scratch and bite anyone who comes in for me. She wants to send a note to our property manager to make sure I’m being fed, etc. She’s not a people person so she doesn’t exactly have any close friends here.
Wunderful PSA Summer an frendss. LadyMew has a plan inn place fore mee. Shee had a plan for all her catss…inn Housin it iss Mandytory.
So if sumthin happenss Aunty Sheila has mee Paw-er of Attorney to take care of mee an even take me to ehr place. An Anuty Honey iss a back up helpurr if needed!
Iss guud to know mee will bee sumwhere; butt mee REELLY wantss to bee with LadyMew fur ever!
***purrsss*** BellaDharma
Also consider setting up a trust for your pet(s) naming a beneficiary and trustee….
Thank you for the reminder. My big fear is if my hubby and I were to die, who would care for my pets? My mom is getting too old so we need to make a plan and get a will.
This is such important information to get out there! Thank you for getting involved, Summer.
That’s a great message! I’ve had a plan in place for a long time. Had it in a will once too, but that’s so far out of date.. (was freaked out about my first airplane trip and needed to make sure the kitties were cared for when, I mean, if I crashed) My whole family knows what to do if something happens to me and the hubby. Make your wishes known, and write it down! Good advice!
That is a very useful post, Summer. Since #1 travels quite extensively, we already have a network in place of people who who can take over, including for the horses.
Purrs,
Tama and genji
That was a wonderful thing to put together, bravo to you all!
Good work.
Excellent post, Summer!
Thank you!
Thank you guys for this. I will share your post in my page on FB as well. It’s something MK and DK have meant to do over time but … you know …
Once it is safe to go out again, they will be putting one together for us all.
We love you guys! Stay safe! You ARE helping, just be being there!
Purrz,
Selina
This posting brought a tear to mom. Working in pet care she truly understands the importance of this post. “Thank You” to everyone involved in this project. Mom is going to share this post and has some ideas of her own to help out our local community. You and your mom bring out the best in people. Much love and purrs.
Great information Summer.
It is too bad you cannot do your therapy visits.
WE bet the people will miss them and you miss doing the visits.
WE purr this nasty virus will go away !
Purrs,Georgia and Julie
Wonder post, Summer!
That is very good and important information, more so now but also to have a plan in place at all times.
I am a Cats Protection sponsor and they have a scheme you can register with called Cat Guardians, and if the worst were to happen and the owner dies, they will take the cat and find it a good new home.
Great info!
Mum worries a lot about that.
This is just the thing I was wondering about.
Hi Summer – this is the first thing mum did when she knew we were going into lockdown two weeks ago. She made an emergency plan for me. Some things she would add is to add a couple of photos – as your friends may not see a lot of you if you are shy like me. She laminated a copy and placed it on the back of the front door. Another copy she left at work in case she got sick, and showed it to a couple of colleagues. She also emailed it to family and friends who would help out in case she got sick.
Mum works at the hospital and is very aware that her risk is higher than most of getting sick. Her friend who has promised to look after me is not really a cat person, so mum included information about where I liked to sleep, what bedding to take, the food I like to eat, and my daily routines, just so she would be able to make me feel at home. A big thing too was that I might be difficult to catch, as I like to hide from strangers, and that a friend might have to come over and wait an hour or two while I settled down and came close or fell asleep on the bed.
We hope everyone stays safe and well.
Julie and poppyq
This is really great information!