With fires, you get a warning often hours or more in advance. Same with
hurricanes. And floods (unless a dam breaks).

Earthquakes? Nope. No warning. Tornadoes. Maybe minutes.

Let me tell you all what happened yesterday. I live in a mobile home
near O'Hare airport. I have three dogs, a cat and five ferrets who free
roam. I was asleep. One of the ferrets had died the night before and I
was exhausted.

I also have no car. I don't even drive. Does this mean I shouldn't have
pets?

I have a disaster plan. My friend next door grabs the kids and her car;
I grab the pets and we all throw ourselves into the car and run like
hell as soon as the sirens hit.

Yesterday? Her car was in the shop. I was asleep when the sky went
black and the sirens went off. Should I have taken drugs to stay awake?
Should I not have pets because I was exhausted? Should my friend have a
second car they can't afford 'just in case'?

Fortunately, I keep the dog harnesses and leashes in one spot; leashes &
harnesses attached to each other. The power died. It was dark outside
from the storm and branches were flying. All I had time to do was wish
the ferrets luck, grab the dogs and run to the laundromat barefoot (the
only brick structure in our park).

*That's* how much time someone may have to implement a disaster plan.
Seconds. *That's* reality. There was *no* time to hunt down the
ferrets, even though I knew where they were sleeping. There was *no*
time to stuff them in the prepared carriers. There was simply *no*
time to do *anything* but run.

So those of you out there saying smugly to yourself that *you* are
prepared, that *other* people who abandon their animals can't possibly
love them as much as you love yours, take my advice. Don't say
*anything* until it happens to you. And try for a bit of well deserved
compassion for your fellow pet owners.

anne

Oh, yes. We are all fine. Without power for 24 hours, but fine.

[Posted in FML 5710]