I picked up an extra bag of dog food on Monday. I always have about an extra case of canned here. He gets a mixture of canned, dry, and healthy human food.

 

In a SHTF time, my pets will get what we eat and they'll love it.

 

Starting to breed rabbits and plan to feed a rabbits to the dog and cat when i get surplus meat.
Much healthier for them.

 

We keep 6 mo food on hand for her royal highness.

 

We keep 6 mo food on hand for her royal highness.
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I have a cat that meows every morning and night at her food bowl. And it's always at least half full.

 

We've thought about this and we always have a couple month's worth of cat food, dry and some wet, on hand. But long-term, we picked up an old fashioned meat grinder at an estate sale years ago and we'll use it to make fresh "wet food" from the local squrrel and bird population. That was to be for both the cats and dog but the dog passed in 2022

And we also had a conversation with our vet (who is also a prepper) about "home euthenasia" if it becomes necessary. He said best advice is to have an agreement with a neighbor to do it, and to do it for them in return. For the untrained to try and use his drugs it would be hard to get it right. (The illegality didn't come up: we're good friends.) He said, "When it goes wrong, it goes horribly wrong. Just use a .22 pistol-- avoid overpenetration and it's a cheaper round."

 

We've thought about this and we always have a couple month's worth of cat food, dry and some wet, on hand. But long-term, we picked up an old fashioned meat grinder at an estate sale years ago and we'll use it to make fresh "wet food" from the local squrrel and bird population. That was to be for both the cats and dog but the dog passed in 2022

And we also had a conversation with our vet (who is also a prepper) about "home euthenasia" if it becomes necessary. He said best advice is to have an agreement with a neighbor to do it, and to do it for them in return. For the untrained to try and use his drugs it would be hard to get it right. (The illegality didn't come up: we're good friends.) He said, "When it goes wrong, it goes horribly wrong. Just use a .22 pistol-- avoid overpenetration and it's a cheaper round."

My dad was a vet and ... Well ... I learned things no kid should contemplate, much less participate in. But alas, here we are.

I have euthanized a few pets over the years. And I have bawled my eyes out every time. While I understand your vet's reasoning behind getting a neighbor to do it for you, I believe you will find yourself dealing with an enormous amount of regret for "abandoning" your pet.

I know my animals trust me explicitly and therefore will think they are getting special treatment from Mom, not apprehensive because someone who doesn't interact with them daily is taking somewhere they are not familiar. I will suffer a thousand nights of misery to keep my pets from feeling that apprehension.

And I KNOW they feel that fear, confusion and abandonment because I've seen it countless times in the eyes of the animals we euthanized at my dad's office while I was growing up. My personal belief is they give us SO much. Their entire existence, really. So the least I can do is make them comfortable and at ease as they move on from this life.

It is easier if you have another person with you. Just take your time and make SURE you (and any part of your body like your hands, or arms) are out of the line of fire. If you use a .22 you probably won't have a thru and thru wound but better safe than sorry. The brain stem is the most used "spot".

If you have never seen an animal die from a traumatic wound like that it will be disconcerting. There WILL be involuntary muscle movement. Just know that once the brain stem is severed, they are no longer here with us and any movement or sound they may make is the result of the physiological process of the body shutting down.

I hope you (actually I hope none of us) NEVER have to use this information. I MUCH prefer using medication. But I also realize there may be times it is not possible.

 

A lot of people will turn their pets loose in bad times.

 

We normally keep about 3 months dry food on hand. But in October there was a salmonella recall on it and it was not available till January 7th. When the road get drivable again (sheet of ice) I will have to restock, I had to switch to a more expensive brand for the time being, 25% more.

 

We stock up on bags of dog food just like our other preps. We have two medium size dogs and I think there about half a dozen bags of food in stocks with more on the way.

 

If things get squirrelly, I’m just planning to eat the pets. Dog, rabbit, and two guinea pigs. I should have them all to myself too, because I’m sure the wife and kids will just be crying in the corner.

 

Personally, I’d off myself before I ate my dogs.

 

My dogs are family. I wouldn’t eat my human family and I won’t my dogs either. If it got to the point where eating my dog was necessary to survive, the ‘end’ for me wouldn’t likely be far off, I would just speed that up. I love my dogs and I don’t care how starving I am I’m not eating them. I wouldn’t want to live with that guilt anyway.

 

Yep!

I don't think I could do it. The only possible way I could would be if I had kids, and it was either that or the kids die. But even then, what would be the point? What's it going to give us, another week at most? And then we still die, but with having that be one of the last things we did. I don't want to be that kind of person.

Trying to avoid being in such a situation is one major reason to prep.

I don't have as many cats as I used to, but I do have a bit above the average. I've always tried to keep several of the large bags of cat food on hand, which also comes in handy because then I've got plenty to wait out for occasional sales. There were a couple of times during Covid that it was hard to find cat food unless you wanted the $$$ small bags of the fancy stuff, so it came in handy.

I mainly use dry food, of course, but I do try to keep some wet food on hand, and occasionally you'll get a deal on Amazon for it. This is mainly for a treat, or if I have a sick kitty, etc.

 

I told the cats they could eat me when the looters get me. I live wedged between two hellhole ganglands - they're coming, and I can't own a gun.

 

It's a good reminder. Always at least a couple weeks of everything you use. The canned pet foods keep much longer than the dry stuff. I only keep 1 extra bag of dry but several months of canned.

If things get real bad cats and dogs move into the livestock category. Hopefully it never comes to that.

 

Best line in movie history at the end! 🤣

 

I'm of the opinion that when SHTF, my dogs will get whatever scraps (if any) from butchered livestock or wild game. I read somewhere that getting chicken feet and cooking them for several hours in a crock pot will make a healthy gelatin for the pups. I'm sure it would be a healthy additive for humans as well. I'm sure my English Bulldog will lose a few pounds haha. If, for whatever reason, we have to abandon the homestead and live on foot, well, they'll either keep up or not. Don't get me wrong, I love my bulldog and Cane Corso dearly, but I will not risk my life trying to carry a 60lb dog while on the run from bad guys.

 

Badge Bunny, I had a precious rescue cat named Frosty. He was my baby and my soul cat. He got sick and I took him to the vet, he had FLUTD (he was the second of 3 cats I have had with it, Biscuit, my current, has it but is well managed). His kidneys had failed, other blood values were terrible. He was going to die it was just how.

I realized I had to be there so I had them give him some medicine to make him comfortable, called a cab, took my husband in his wheelchair. Now Frosty and I liked to watch Sci fi he would get in my lap. And in the zombie movie the person is bitten, infected, dies. Then one eye opens up, they start twitching, and they come after the hapless family member.

So I was with Frosty when he passed it was very peaceful and I believe he purred as I pet him. They left us alone with him and I kept petting him I couldn't let go. And his eye opened. Then his leg twitched. I grabbed the wheelchair and ran out of there! I knew what came next! I wouldn't even go back for the carrier I made the vet tech do it.

 

Badge Bunny, I had a precious rescue cat named Frosty. He was my baby and my soul cat. He got sick and I took him to the vet, he had FLUTD (he was the second of 3 cats I have had with it, Biscuit, my current, has it but is well managed). His kidneys had failed, other blood values were terrible. He was going to die it was just how.

I realized I had to be there so I had them give him some medicine to make him comfortable, called a cab, took my husband in his wheelchair. Now Frosty and I liked to watch Sci fi he would get in my lap. And in the zombie movie the person is bitten, infected, dies. Then one eye opens up, they start twitching, and they come after the hapless family member.

So I was with Frosty when he passed it was very peaceful and I believe he purred as I pet him. They left us alone with him and I kept petting him I couldn't let go. And his eye opened. Then his leg twitched. I grabbed the wheelchair and ran out of there! I knew what came next! I wouldn't even go back for the carrier I made the vet tech do it.

Oh GIRL! The stories I could tell you! 😂😂😂😂 One of my favorites was some ranched had called my dad to come and do a necropsy on a cow that had died. I was maybe 10?? Might have been closer to 12 I forget. Anyway I guess this guy had called a bunch of buddies to come check it out because there were a half dozen scruffy, grown rancher type men standing around when we got there.

First the guys tried to talk me into going up to the ranch where the womenfolk were. Nope. Don't like girly stuff. Then they tried to talk Daddy into SENDING me to the house. No dice -- she's my parts runner. 😂 So we finally get down to work.

The guys all gathered around the dead cow's head like they were gonna pray over here or something. Daddy looked at me, grinned and winked and I KNEW what was coming next so I stood back a bit outta the way. One of the guys asked me if I was scared of blood. 🙄🙄🙄

No sooner than he got that **** spit out my dad stuck the cow with his scalpel in a VERY strategic spot. And that release of build up gas from the abdominal cavity rushed into the thoracic cavity, causing the dead cow to raise her head and moo! 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Those men were halfway across the pasture before they looked back to see me and my dad laughing so hard we had tears in our eyes!😂😂😂NEVER **** with a vet and his kid. We KNOW things! 😉😂😂😂

 

We haven't had a pet since my Shih-tzu passed 23 years ago. I'm 58 with an occasional ugly attitude.


YA'LL HAVE MADE ME CRY!!

 

I didn't mean to... just share my embarrassment at getting down to 1.5 bags of Urinary Care Special Diet.

The cat food is Mars' greatest money maker: I have to feed it to him or he'll die. It's not pet food it's extortion.

 

We have a dog that needs prescription food also. We get it through Chewy’s as it’s slightly less expensive that way. Ordered enough to get through the winter plus some as they don’t deliver up here in the snow.

 

Same here. Our wein is diabetic and has pancreatitis.. Chewy's is about $20 cheaper than getting it from vet if we get on schedule. We can't get more than a case or two at a time financially.

 

My three rescue shepherds luckily can eat about anything. I’ve often thought of how to keep them fed during shtf. What I’ve done to pet prep is try to stock 90days minimum on dry food and canned food in advance including cases of milk bones etc. that’ll do at first. Sooooo I’ve purchased some additional cases of mountain house spaghetti/ rice and chicken / beef stroganoff/ chicken and noodles which when on sale can be “reasonable “ case wise $120 ish that double for people food/ pup food. Ive never hunted but I’m a good shot and can be silent in woods and definitely would kill animals to feed my family which includes my pups ( purchased butchering tools and books regarding game prep and hunting tips ) additionally I’ve purchased buckets of salt for curing and many buckets of rice noodles potatoes. Seasonings butter powder etc to add onto wild game and fish. . As an extension of long term food storage Pro tip at vet always ask for additional pet meds during annual check ( they always seem to be reasonable at check up)not just for present needs but also past issues. Keep a stock and rotate old used first never hurts to have additional meds in a cool dry place. Kinda my plan at least

 

With the additional conversation regarding how to put down a pet. Ya got me reliving some of the worst moments of my life. When we know in advance it’s definitely time to let go my girl and I have a procedure. First dig a good respectable grave in advance ( always beforehand hard to dig grave when uncontrollable crying) we have three dogs who are always involved start to finish. We all have a great meal kinda last rights. All go to the vet together and all laying on floor as they take the last breaths as we talk to them entire time we bring our own comforter. Once expired wrap them in comforter with head unwrapped and then leave together the other dogs are fully involved and do understand. Once home we say our final goodbyes covering head we always throw a dog toy in and i backfill grave while crying like a little girl then border with rocks and plant flowers atop in spring it’s always impossible but must be done

 

How I would put down a during shtf with some notice I suppose a good last meal ( last rights ) grave dug in advance id try to use any pet med ( pain killers to assist)a good rifle shot in vitals hopefully no follow up shots once expired wrap in blanket add toy if any left and backfill while crying like a little girl. Even during shtf try to keep it as normal as possible to fulfill my commitment to them. If no notice and catastrophically injured dispatch as soon as possible to reduce suffering then dig grave. Have rough plan if we exhaust all supplies have no other options and can’t go on but hopefully it’ll be a year or so longer than most people. Sooo better than most which is why ya prepare

 

Please tell me by "vitals" you mean heart/lungs. I've seen animals that have been gut shot. They suffer horribly.

And while I understand wanting to shoot heart/lungs because they bleed out so fast, the brain or stem is REALLY the most humane way to kill an animal.

 

Yes meaning heart And truthfully I would need to listen in advance to pin point exactly. And then really truthfully I don’t know if I could take the life of a best friend with a brain shot even though as you knowingly advise it’s more humane Can we just hope if we are losing a best friend and have no access to medical means they expire peacefully while sleeping????

 

Ok. I reread my post and was afraid I came off condescending. I didn't mean for it to be that way. Just not everybody understand what kind of suffering a shot to the gut is. Some gangs use it as a torture technique. If is truly horrible.

 

Purplekitty hello I recently became a member but have been reading survivalist boards for like 10 years And this new membership has also started to school me on the internet and use of it. I was totally technologically inept. I just wanted to give my condolences to the loss of your husband which I understand was a few years ago. (Was reading site a lot at that time and I really felt for you )

 

Thank you, it was a huge shock. The board was tremendously supportive. ((((Hugs)))

 

Y'all need to stop cutting onions, dammit.