Emergency Planning (Guinea Pig Edition)

We've all been through the tedious fire drills at school before. Maybe you have a plan for your own home, or you've walked through the steps to familiarize yourself with what you do in case of a real emergency. But have you ever thought about what you would do with your pets?

We never believe it could happen to us, but do you have a plan in case of a fire, earthquake, or other disaster? What if you lost electricity or have a carbon monoxide emergency? What if you have to quarantine yourself and can't leave the house at all for two weeks during COVID?

Make a plan.

In case of emergency, it's always best to know exactly what you need to do to keep all members of your family (human or animal) safe and healthy. Here are some tips to consider when creating your own emergency plan for pets.

Where would you go?

If you need to evacuate your home, have an idea of where you would be going. Do you have a friend or family's home that you can temporarily shelter in? Have this in mind ahead of time, but always make sure that they would be fine with you taking your guinea pigs with you.

How do you transport the pigs?

All guinea pigs in the home should have the appropriate carriers for safe transportation. Are their carriers easily accessible (i.e. not buried in the back of a closet or lost in your basement)? We like to use ours for storage near their cages, where they are easy to grab and dump if we needed them on short notice. We have one box for Lynx & Leo, one for Rigel & Io, and the carriers that our fosters each come in. We always have a small piece of fleece in the bottom for the piggies' comfort. Additionally, make sure each carrier is labelled and has any important info about each pig. Include any medication or dietary restrictions, as well as contact info for you in case you get separated.

Shelter in place?

Always make sure you have at least a two weeks supply of everything your guinea pigs might need in case you can't leave your home. We tend to buy in bulk for our herd, which makes this easier. Plan ahead so you always have enough fresh hay, pellets, treats and supplements, and some veggies. Vegetables might not be able to last two weeks, but your guinea pigs will be fine without them for a while. If the situation calls for it, try to stock up on fresh water as well. This could mean bottled water, or large containers filled from the tap.

What would you need?

This will be similar to what you need sheltering in place. It's best to have a few days' supply of hay and food, multiple water bottles and fresh water, and clean bedding if possible. If we had to evacuate, we could always find supplies wherever we end up, but it is reassuring to know the guinea pigs would be taken care of for at least a couple of days. You can keep these supplies in a "go-bag" that is always packed and ready.

Here are some easy items to pack in a go-bag:

Oxbow Hay Stacks - very dense, small, and much easier to store than loose hay.

Tupperware - perfect to keep pellets fresh, easy to pack enough food for a few days.

Playpen - use this as a temporary cage set up for wherever you end up.

Vitamin C - always good to have, especially if you won't have veggies available.

Water bottles - enough for each enclosure.

Review plan with all household members.

Whether they are the primary caregivers for your guinea pigs or not, everyone should be included in the emergency planning. Each member of your household should be able to carry out the plan if the time comes.

Hopefully you will never have to use these tips, but it is always a good idea to be prepared! Let us know if you have any other ideas to stay prepared for emergency situations.