Pets in a survival situation

I have read a lot about survival... I have long pondered how to get out of the regions I have lived in and where to go in the event of a SHTF scenario.

In all of my reading I have noticed that by and large people say dump your pets, they are unnecessary baggage.
I am curious to see what folks here think, or if they even considered it... I have to think some of these authors I've read never considered it. Personally every plan I have made includes my pets...

For a bug in situation I have food, medicine, and their water needs figured into it...

For a bug out situation I have yet to figure out a way to bring my cats so they will have to make do on their own... but bringing my dogs with me is absolutely in my plans.

The reason why; if the situation is so bad I am either Bugging in or on the run it is going to be fairly chaotic/catastrophic which is going to be a large amount of strain on me and my family emotionally... a pet represents something stable... from a better time, especially if you add children into the equation. No man is an island, yet a dog will provide that unconditional love that can help you deal with the stress... think service dog for veterans with PTSD. (also getting rid of family pets could be crushing to some especially kids and that is a level of stress you dont need if your trying to run for your life)

Does this add a good deal of stress to your plans.. oh yeah no doubt, but if you must prepare to deal with that stress (to the best of your ability)or it will kill you.

a reply to: Irishhaf

Absolutely. My attitude towards my dogs is 'to death do us part'.

Pets in a real shtf survival situation will eventually be food. That is the reality of it.

My dog will be with me as she is my service dog.
I hope SHTF survival doesn't happen in my life time.

I use to be more prepared however I don't have a place
to store much of anything at the moment except for
a few days worth of food & water.
I do have medical bag & know how to perform procedures
if necessary...I'm not a doctor but when there is no choice
I will do what is necessary to survive.

Maybe someone will include us in their small group due to my skills?
Edit she is also trained not to bark.

Cheers
Ektar

originally posted by: Helious
Pets in a real shtf survival situation will eventually be food. That is the reality of it.

Exactly, right and honest. You only have to venture into Third world and some First World countries (China) to see that pets can easily be viewed as a food source. Not only that, and it may make you shudder, but your pets can be considered a "cash crop," just as we might view chicken, rabbits and cows, during the worst of times. Dogs are good at survival. Actually, they will probably outlast humans.

originally posted by: Helious
Pets in a real shtf survival situation will eventually be food. That is the reality of it.

Beat me to it. pets in peace time are companions, at other times, live stock.

Depends on how hungry people get.

They may think they will remain true to their peace time notions, but if it comes to surviving and choosing between starving and not, the pets will be eaten.

The good thing about pets is unlike a chicken or cow they will stick by your side, loyal to the end.

Damn thats horrible.

Come Spot, time for the pot.

a reply to: Irishhaf

I have a Lab/Bernese mix, and an Akbash. They're protection against bears, coyotes....other people. They're also warmth at night.
I also have a Shihtzu with an attitude. If he could just be an alert system he would be useful. Unfortunately he thinks he's much bigger than he is, that could present a problem if he thinks he's going to be able to help the big dogs fight off a coyote or something, without getting in the way...
So, big dogs useful, little ones, not so much

originally posted by: Helious
Pets in a real shtf survival situation will eventually be food. That is the reality of it.

This is very true. You may love fido, but go 3 days without food and you'll be breaking out the BBQ sauce. People don't like to think about themselves as animals....we are. And when faced with starvation we will act accordingly.

People don't think about what would happen if they were taken from relative comfort and thrown into a scenario with extremes. Especially without training. Lets hope you can eat the neighbors cat first.

But in a SHTF, beloved fido will start looking better and better as food you wont have to carry as he follows you to his doom.

We jokingly refer to our two dogs as Sandwich 1 and Sandwich 2.

Forgot to say...My Border Collie would be able to
round up deer, sheep, & goats. This would get them closer for an easier shot.

Cheers
Ektar

originally posted by: Helious
Pets in a real shtf survival situation will eventually be food. That is the reality of it.

I'd feed you to my dog.

Yup I fully understand that I could eventually have to eat my dogs, and odds are in a pinch where starvation (of me or people I care about wife kids etc)was the alternative I would eat them. It would break my heart... but when the alternative was death, survival instinct is a B.

I have a Husky/low content wolf, and a pit/lab... neither barks without us encouraging them to, both are extremely protective of me and the wife. They also naturally hunt small game animals very well, never realized it till we got to germany but I hope to use it to my advantage if its needed.

Besides food, which has been beaten to death already (pun intended!), they would also be great for the emotional support and for security.

You may not be able to hear that stranger sneaking up on you, but your dog sure will.

Happy Easter!

a reply to: BooCrackers

Wow, after only 3 days without food you'd kill a pet and eat it, even though it is morally wrong? How depraved are you normally?

Humans can live WEEKS without food. You must have never even attempted to fast before, but after 2-3 days without eating you stop feeling hungry and can still operate just fine.

You seem like the kind of person that would be extremely hasty and do lots of terrible things immediately after a shtf situation. As such, you probably wouldn't last very long.

People don't need meat to survive, and there is plenty of food to forage in the woods....

Pets do need meat to survive and I'd image, even if you have indoor cats, that if they were hungry enough they'd learn how to hunt and kill birds.

Handling pets in a shtf situation really depends on the kind of situation. You'd need different strategies for different shtf situations to keep your pets safe.

I also want to add, that if you are SO desperate to eat that you'd kill your own pet that you love, then your situation must be so extremely doomed, that you should just kill yourself. I mean, if you have no food whatsoever, and you have no plans on getting food, and the ONLY thing left that resembles food is your pets, you might as well just off yourself (I would). Because what will you eat after you no longer have your pet to eat? Wouldn't you just die of starvation anyway?

a reply to: primespickle

Wow, you anger easily....seems i'd have to eat your pet first. Geez, maybe you should take a really big tylenol and rest a while.

And yes my moral compass spins in all directions so I would have no compunction with cannibalism either if it came to that. My first time eating dog was in Korea....where that kind of thing is allowed. Thing is in a SHTF there are many variables that you cannot just plan for. If you're raided by your neighbor and all you have is fido left, yes in 3 days you start to feel the pangs of starvation taking hold on your body. Hence fido starts to look like a chicken leg not too terribly long after that.

And I would likely harm others before I harmed myself so killing myself is out the window, if anything just so that you realize there are people like me out there who are much much worse than me. You obviously have not faced a dire circumstance where survival is pinned to your ability to think outside the box.

If hording and hunkering down is what you think will save you and you dog (significant other?) then you should really reevaluate what you know about the SHTF.

Sorry I offended you animal loving sensibilities, you will likely starve first.

BTW, you DO need protein to survive. While many plants have it, you're competing with other humans AND animals in the woods. You will need meat eventually.

a reply to: Irishhaf

I've got a terrier and he's great at hunting. That means to me he can be useful at getting food for all of us.

My wife is actually less useful than my dog lol.

A trained dog in a SHTF scenario will increase your chances of survival without a doubt. Any other pet would most likely be a travelling food source.

If only the badger were domesticated, but that would most likely mean it ain't a badger anymore.

Tough little buggers, they are, and I would love to have one fortify my defenses.

It's a pipe dream, for sure, but what do pipes have to do with dreams?

Depends, if you have a good dog, say a Great Pyrenees, you have a large loyal natural guard dog. Killing it and eating it at the first opportunity would be idiotic in a shtf scenario. Primitive man domesticated wolves for a reason, they're great companions to have. Remember you're not the only one in a survival scenario, your dog is too. I remember my dog Mike saw a groundhog once, got loose, ran up and snapped it's neck like a twig. You'd honestly give that potential up for a single meal, you deserve to starve to death. Remember your alpha, when your dog kills a rabbit or groundhog it's yours too. It won't take long in a shtf scenario for your dog's hunter instincts to kick in and your part of the pack. Not only that but your dog will be more aware and alert to danger than you are.

Really how thick are you all to kill and eat one of your best assets in such a scenario. It's a short term gain with a long term loss.

originally posted by: TheSpanishArcher
If only the badger were domesticated, but that would most likely mean it ain't a badger anymore.

Tough little buggers, they are, and I would love to have one fortify my defenses.

It's a pipe dream, for sure, but what do pipes have to do with dreams?

Badgers are nasty buggers if they want to be, will take out a good sized dog if threatened.

I have seen many Badgers including a mum with cubs and as long as you back off and do not threaten them they are fine.

My dogs are small, efficient, cheap to feed and would be a most valuable addition to an outdoor survival situation.

If you like the thought of eating squirrels that is.