if shtf what will you do with your pets?

reply to: theboarman
Mods, or whoever, it's not posting my whole reply. When I click edit, it shows the whole thing there. It will not, however, show it all in the thread. If there's anything you could do, it would be much appreciated!

What about you, OP? What, if any, kinds of pets do you have? How many? What's your plan for you and yours?
Personally, I only have my rottweiler these days (

a reply to: MDpvc

i got one dog and one cat, i plan to do another thread on them sometime, i would try and take them with me as long as i could, since this is only hypothetical , lets hope none of us have to make these decisions.

a reply to: rexsblues

Not so easy. Could you dumb that down a bit for me?

Most people don't realize until it's too late that their pets are the closest thing they will get to unconditional love.

My pets stay with me.
I have 2 Great Pyrenees and both are huge dogs. The small one is 110 lbs. The really protective one is 140 lbs. They are loyal, lovable, devoted friends who would fight to the death to protect us.
I will do the same for them.

a reply to: theboarman

We have three cats.

We live in an urban area and would have to move immediately if we could.

One is old and hyperthyroid. She would have to be put down. If we didn't, her condition would starve her to death without regular medication.

One, while young enough and large enough to have a chance at survival, was declawed on all his feet by previous owners and is a ragdoll which means he has no sense of danger. He'd be screwed. As much as it pains me to say it, we would likely have to put him down, too.

The last one is decently smart and has all her claws. She is too fat, but she has a decent sense of survival. We might simply let her go to take her chances.

a reply to: theboarman

I have a dog backpack which I have stocked for my dog, very much like a doggie BOB, it even has dog booties in case her foot pads become damaged from long-distance, rough country trekking. I also have a large wheeled folding luggage cart I keep near the cat carrier in case I need to take the cat with me. My BOB is about 26 pounds and I'm a 5'2" female so I can't add a cat carrier to the weight, I will have to pull it on the luggage cart. It's not ideal, but I won't leave my pets behind; they are family.

a reply to: theboarman

****NOTICE! ALL PET OWNERS!

As a 1st responder, we are taught that folks who have to leave leave their pets behind, should leave them with 2-3 days of food and water inside their homes with a large "PETS INSIDE. FOOD AND WATER" sign on a front window/door easily seen from the street.

Hopefully, one of us will be able to feed and water them...prob only once...then they are on their own. And there is no guarantee anyone WILL come by in the 1st place. Depends on how many volunteer-responders are activated for your areas****

****IMPORTANT!
Most shelters cannot care for all pets, so dont count on it. If you do leave your pets somewhere, its you that will have to come back or go there each day to care and clean for them. There is not enough responders, staff or volunteers to care for pets. Any place.

****Also...most shelters, boarding facilities etc in a crisis...will not let you bring your pets without current vaccinations., food, water, cages etc.

Mysterioustranger
FEMA/Department of Homeland Security
EMT/ERT 1st Responder
Region 2 South
Wayne County, Michigan

a reply to: mysterioustranger

This is good advice to know.

Of course, what I mentioned above is only in the case of a total shtf scenario. In the case of a localized disaster where we are not talking the total breakdown of the fabric of society, we have provisions to take care of our pets.

The good thing about cats is that you can provision them for as long as a week with the proper foresight in a disaster. It's not ideal, but it can be done. A small wading pool with litter, a couple of tower feeders with dry food and large dog water container full of fresh water can hold them depending on the situation.

Dogs are much trickier.

originally posted by: EmmanuelGoldstein
a reply to: theboarman
I'd eat them, slowly.

With some Fa-fa-fava beans and a nice Keeeantee!

We're bugging in.

Actually, my pets are PART of my SHTF preps.

My horse will be great post SHTF transportation. (and the manure provides great fertilizer for the gardens)
My dogs are great protection and alarms.
My cats can help keep mice and rats to a minimum post SHTF.

But we also have non-pet animals...

My chickens will still give me eggs post SHTF (though like all farmers, we'd cull them eventually when no longer laying)
The rabbits, we'd simply start breeding them and keeping them for meat and fur (they are more like pets now though).

I do include the animals and their needs in my prepping. For example, emergency water for them is a necessity.
While most of the animals can eat our scraps, we'll also be growing food for them just as we do for us too.