Before pet lovers descend upon the comments section in true explosive social media style, I am going to say that I am a pet lover myself, albeit a pragmatic and practical one. I am a farm girl, after all!

I know that most pet owners are not going to agree with some of my comments and suggestions here. My advice? Think of this article as a tool, like a whetstone, to sharpen your thinking and your SHTF plan according to your own values. We're going to take a look at pet ownership according to the four levels of SHTF as described by Daisy in this excellent article. However, I'm mainly going to focus on preparation for an all-out SHTF, because I think that will be most useful to folks.

Level One: Personal Emergencies
As Daisy describes in this article, life happens to us all, and these emergencies are often financial in nature. When it comes to your pets, how well prepared are you to weather a financial storm? Checklist items here could be how much food you have set aside. Are you using sales and any coupons available to reduce your costs? If money is extremely tight, are you aware of food banks for pets in your area, or which food banks carry pet food? It is best to be prepared. If your pet takes any medications, do you have an extra month or two on hand at all times? 

Despite being in a low-income situation, one of my top priorities each month is to build my emergency fund. I can't tell you how much better I feel having that in place each month, as compared to using credit to weather my storms. Do what you need to do to make this happen. Cut what you need to cut. The time is now.

Level Two: Short-Term Situations
The examples Daisy gives in her article are not life-threatening, but last for a few days: a blizzard where the power goes out or a broken water main that causes you to be without water for a few days.

Consider all of the needs of your pets. Have you factored their water needs into the amount of water you have stored onsite? Have you imagined the worst-case scenario, where the power goes out in the midst of the hottest summer ever, and you are without air conditioning? How much water will you need then? 

If you are well prepared for Level One, then you should have enough food on hand to weather this short term situation. What if your pet has highly specialized medical needs, however? I had a friend who gave her cat IV fluids for kidney disease. Her vet had recommended that she store the bags in the fridge. If you have a pet with specialized needs, what is your plan to keep what you need ready to use over a period of a few days, with no water or electricity available?