Don't Forget Pets

By JUDY HILL The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jun 4, 2006

Some of the most heartbreaking images in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina were those of lost and abandoned pets - and the desperate owners looking for them. Be sure you make evacuation plans that include your pets, if you have them.

One critical step you can take now is to make sure your pets are microchipped. If they are and you are separated from them, the chip can make reunification much simpler.

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is holding two microchip days - June 24 and July 22 - at its shelter at 3607 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa. Chips cost $15 for each animal. For information, call (813) 876-7138.

The Animal Coalition of Tampa is offering a free microchip with every low-cost sterilization performed at its clinic during June. The coalition clinic is at 1719 W. Lemon St. in Tampa. Call (813) 259-3500 for information.

For disaster planning information - pet-related and otherwise - go to the National Hurricane Survival Initiative's Web site at hurricanesafety.org, the Florida Division of Emergency Management at floridadisaster.org or the National Hurricane Center's Web site at www.nhc.noaa.gov/.

Judy Hill

Keyword: Hurricane, for tips on hurricane preparation for pets. Homeowners and builders can find information on potential insurance discounts on News Channel 8 senior consumer reporter Victoria Lim's blog, keyword: consumer.