NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WGNS) - The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency is recognizing June as Pet Preparedness Month, and emergency officials want Rutherford County residents to get ready now. The statewide push aims to help families protect their animals during flash floods, severe summer storms, power outages, and sudden evacuations.
TEMA Director Patrick C. Sheehan says families should never have to figure out how to care for their pets in the middle of a crisis. Sheehan urges everyone to use this month to gather supplies, update microchips, and identify safe places to go if they have to leave home in a hurry.
Throughout June, TEMA is running its "Ready, Set, Pet!" initiative. Each week covers a different safety step, including building a pet go-kit with food, water, and medicine, and updating identification tags and vaccination records.
To help local pet owners get ready, TEMA is partnering with Tennessee-based Tractor Supply Company. Stores across Murfreesboro, Smyrna, and the rest of the state will host a special Community Day on June 27th to connect residents with local emergency resources. Officials say taking these small steps now will protect both people and pets when every second counts.
