Brenna grins. “I tried to put him in the kennel when we got here, but he wanted to stay with me,” she said. “I guess he’s happy I saved him from all that wet stuff outside.” She leans down to pat the big dog. “Just kidding, boy. You were totally brave on the way home.”
Zoe rolls her eyes. “It’s probably just as well he’s out,” she comments. “It’s not like we have that many cages to spare.”
I see what she means when we enter the kennel. It’s packed with pets. All I smell is wet dog. “Wow,” I say. “Were all these animals stranded by the hurricane?”
“All these and more,” Zoe says. “Dr. Mac says that all the vets in the area are taking in as many pets as they can.”
Luckily, there’s still one large kennel available. Brenna puts Stormy in it. He starts whining immediately, then lets out a loud, sharp bark.
Brenna winces. “See?” she asks. “How about if we hang out in here for a few minutes? That might help him settle down.”
“Okay,” Maggie says, sitting down cross-legged near the kennel. She glances at me as I sit down next to her. “By the way, Sunita, I wanted to tell you. That was pretty cool—what you did back there.”
“Yeah,” David agrees. He glances at Zoe and Brenna with a grin. “You should’ve seen her. She was amazing.”
“We make a good team,” I say shyly. Remembering how Zoe and Brenna did their part to help out, I add, “All of us.”
“Yeah, we do.” Maggie smiles. “But you’re still the hero of the day, Sunita.” David nods.
I’m not sure why they’re making such a big deal out of what I did. After all, if I’d known how to swim in the first place, the whole rescue would have been a lot easier. Still, I can’t help feeling proud of myself. It feels great to know that I helped to save Lucy, even though I couldn’t have done it without my friends. I feel proud of all of us for rescuing Stormy.
Zoe and Brenna look a little confused. “What exactly happened?” Brenna asks, sticking her fingers through the mesh kennel door so that Stormy can lick them. “How did you get Lucy out of the house? We heard it was totally flooded over there.”
“Yeah,” Zoe adds. “On TV they said Willow Street was flooded with, like, eight feet of water.”
David starts to tell them the story. When he gets to the part where he and Maggie go out in the canoe without me, Brenna looks confused again.
“Wait a minute,” she says. “Why didn’t you take Sunita with you? Lucy loves her—she could catch her a lot easier than you guys.”
The cat’s already out of the bag. I might as well tell them. “I never learned to swim,” I explain. “So I was afraid to go out there in all that water.”
“Oh!” Zoe looks at me curiously. “So then what happened?”
Maggie takes over the story and describes how she and David tried to rescue Lucy themselves. “Finally we just gave up,” she goes on. “We were going to come back here for help. But then Sunita decided she would try.”
David jumps in again, waving his arms around dramatically as he describes the rescue. I’m happy that he leaves out a few things—like how I almost drowned when I first jumped in, or how I swam like a basset hound. By the time he finishes, Zoe and Brenna look impressed.
“You mean you jumped in and swam to the rescue, even though you didn’t know how to swim?” Zoe says, gazing at me. “That’s pretty brave!”
I shrug uncertainly. “Not really,” I admit. “I was totally terrified the whole time.”
“So what?” Zoe says. “You still went ahead and did it.”
Brenna nods. “My parents always say that’s what real bravery is,” she says. “It’s doing something you need to do even if you’re scared.”
I’ve never thought about it that way before. But it makes sense.
Just then Stormy starts scratching at the cage door and whining. “Maybe he needs to go out,” Maggie says.
Brenna lets the big dog out of his cage. I feel so happy about the way this day has turned out that I actually lean forward and pat him gently on the back as he walks by. Now that I’ve faced something that really scares me, it seems almost silly to be nervous about big dogs, especially ones that I know are perfectly nice and friendly.
Maybe I am a lot braver than I thought I was.
In any case, I know one thing for sure. As soon as the hurricane is over, I’m signing up for swimming lessons!
Don’t Leave Your Best
By J.J. MACKENZIE, D.V.M.
Wild World News—Nobody is ever completely prepared for a hurricane, tornado, or earthquake to strike. That’s why these events are called natural disasters.
During weather emergencies people are often asked to leave their homes. And contrary to what some people may tell you, it’s not a good idea to leave your pets behind during an evacuation. If your home isn’t safe for you, it’s not safe for your animals, either. There are things you can do, however, to make sure you and your pets come through even the worst weather emergency safely.
PET PLAN
Don’t wait until you hear the tornado sirens go off or see a hurricane on the weather report to start thinking about how to keep your pet safe. Plan ahead for your pet just as you would do for yourself. If your family already practices fire drills—which is definitely a good idea!—take a few more minutes to make a plan to handle whatever types of weather disasters are possible in your area. Decide which family member will be responsible for which duty, and go over the plan regularly so that you don’t forget.
PLAN AHEAD FOR YOUR PET JUST AS YOU WOULD DO FOR YOURSELF.
NO PETS ALLOWED
In an emergency, Red Cross shelters cannot accept animals (except guide dogs for the blind and other recognized service dogs). It’s better to figure out ahead of time where you and your pet can take shelter together. The best option is to plan to stay with animal-loving friends or relatives outside of the area likely to be affected by the disaster. You may also want to investigate pet-friendly hotels and motels, as well as boarding kennels that could take in your pet in an emergency. Have several options in mind in case your first choice is full or can’t be reached. And don’t wait until the last minute to evacuate. You won’t want to be trapped in the disaster area. If rescue crews have to bring you out, they may not be able to rescue your pets as well.
EMERGENCY KIT
If you do need to evacuate with your pets, you should have an emergency kit ready to take with you quickly. It should be stored in a convenient location and packed so that you can carry it easily. Here is a list of important items to include in your kit:1. For dogs—a collar that fits snugly, or better yet, a harness, which may give you more control over your dog in an uncertain situation. Consider a muzzle if your dog is to be boarded with animals where things are likely to get stressful. Your dog should be wearing a current license on his collar.
2. For cats and other small pets—a lightweight carrying crate.
3. Copies of your pets’ health records, as well as current rabies tags. If your pet has any medical problems that require special handling or treatment, this information also should be included in the records or on the pet’s collar. It’s a good idea to seal your pet’s records in a watertight container or plastic bag.
4. A recent photo of each pet. If your pet has any distinguishing marks, such as a kinked tail or an unusually shaped spot, be sure that they’re visible on the photo. You may also want to consider having your pet tattooed or fitted with a microchip so that she can be identified even if she is separated from you without ID tags. This can be helpful even in a nonemergency situation. Ask your vet for more information.
5. A week’s supply of food. Don’t forget to include a can opener if you are using canned food.
6. A week’s supply of clean water. Sometimes in an emergency, human water supplies can become contaminated. Fresh water for your pet may be hard to find if you don’t pack it yourself.
7. At least a week’s supply of any special medications your pet may need.
8. A litter box and kitty litter, or a pooper-scooper and plastic bags.
9. A pet first-aid kit.
10. If you will be evacuating to a known address, such as a relative’s home, you can make up temporary ID tags with that address on them.
11. A favorite toy or other familiar item to help your pet feel at home away from home.
PET STRESS
Be prepared for your pet’s behavior to change during an emergency. Have you ever noticed how your calm, purring lap cat turns into a tiger at the vet’s office? Or how your friendly, people-loving dog cowers in the corner? Like a trip to the vet, a natural disaster may bring out the worst in the best-behaved pet. Even if your pet is usually sweet and perfectly trustworthy, he may panic and try to run away or hide. He may even try to bite or scratch you if he feels threatened enough. That’s why it’s so important to have proper restraining devices—crates, harnesses, or collars—ready in case of emergency
THE BUDDY SYSTEM
In case you’re not at home when disaster strikes, work out an emergency plan with a pet-friendly neighbor. Ideally, your emergency buddy should be someone your pet knows and trusts. Give your buddy a copy of your pet’s medical records, and tell him or her where your emergency kit is stored. If your pet has a favorite hiding place where she goes when she’s nervous, make sure your buddy knows that, too. You should also file a permission slip at your vet’s office, allowing your buddy to authorize treatment in case your pet is injured or becomes sick. Be ready to return the favor by offering to do the same for your buddy’s pet or pets.
Laurie Halse Anderson, Storm Rescue
(Series: Vet Volunteers # 6)
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