National Hurricane Center Declares May 22 National Day Of Family Preparedness; Remember, Pets Are Family, Too

AKC Companion Animal Recovery Urges Pet Owners To Include Their Animals When Preparing The Family For Hurricanes & Severe Weather

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) May 21, 2004 -– As part of the National Hurricane Centers National Hurricane Preparedness Week, Saturday, May 22, has been declared National Day of Family Preparedness. The American Kennel Clubs Companion Animal Recovery program is urging everyone in hurricane-prone areas to remember that pets are family members as well, and take the necessary precautions now to make sure their beloved animals are safe and can be identified if lost during severe weather.

Now is the time to prepare for your pets safety. During the chaos of the evacuations and severe weather brought along by hurricanes, beloved pets can sometimes be separated from their families causing emotional stress and heartache for thousands of pet owners.

To help prevent this from happening and to increase the chance pets can be reunited with their owners, the AKCs Companion Animal Recovery program is providing pet owners with a unique way to I.D. their pets. This tiny rice-sized device is encoded with a unique and unalterable identification number. The chip" is implanted just under the skin in the scruff of the neck of most pets and can be detected and read by a scanner used by veterinarians, animal shelters or other agencies.

Once the microchip is implanted, pet owners should immediately enroll their pets in the AKC Companion Animal Recovery database using the form provided by the veterinarian or by calling the National Pet Recovery Hotline at 1-800-252-7894. If a pet is already microchipped, it is essential that owners call the Pet Recovery Hotline and confirm their animal is in the database.

Our number one priority is to make sure that every pet lost during a hurricane is reunited with their family," said Dr. Carmen Battaglia, President of AKC Companion Animal Recovery. In the chaos of severe weather and evacuations, it is easy to forget that pets are part of the family too."

When an enrolled pet is found, veterinarians and shelters can detect the microchip and call the National Pet Recovery number 1-800-252-7894.

Over 2.3 million pet owners are now participating in the AKC-CAR program, which is the largest direct-to-owner database of microchipped pets in the United States. In addition, more than 200,000 lost pets have been recovered through the AKC Companion Animal Recovery program.

Bottom line, AKC Companion Animal Recovery is in the business of recovering lost pets and getting them back to their owners," continued Dr. Battaglia. Taking the time to microchip your pet and enroll it in our database is such a small price to pay for the peace of mind that comes with knowing your animal is identified for the rest of its life."

Pet Disaster Kits

Your pet disaster kit should include:
·Pet food and treats
·Drinkable water in plastic bottles
·Can opener for canned food
·Pet medications and medical records in a waterproof container
·Sturdy leashes, harnesses and/or carriers so you can remove and transport your pet safely
·The name and contact information of your veterinarian

About the AKC Companion Animal Recovery Program
The American Kennel Club formed the non-profit AKC Companion Animal Recovery program in 1995 as a public service to help pet owners reunite with their lost animals by using a permanent identification process. AKC Companion Animal Recovery is an affiliate of the American Kennel Club and is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. For more information you can visit the Companion Animal Recovery website at www.akccar.org or call the National Pet Recovery Hotline at 1-800-252-7894 or email found@akc.org.

Editors Note: Dr. Carmen Battaglia, President of the AKC Companion Animal Recovery program, is available for interviews via satellite or by phone. To schedule an interview or request a media kit with b-roll on Beta tape, please contact Graham Wilson at PRStreet at 1-888-736-3787 or by email at gwilson@prstreet.com

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