Don't Forget the Dog: Emergency Water for Pets

How much to set aside for dogs, cats and backyard chickens, and easy ways to store it.

Our old heeler, Biscuit, drinks more than I do in July. When I did the water math for the house, pets were the line I'd forgotten.

Rough amounts

• Dogs: about 1 ounce per pound per day. A 50-pound dog needs about 3 gallons a week.
• Cats: about 1 cup a day.
• Chickens: about a pint per bird per day, more in heat.

How I store it

A separate labeled 5-gallon jug, "BISCUIT," so nobody "borrows" it for coffee. Plus a collapsible bowl in the car kit.

Food matters too

Dry kibble makes pets drink more. Keep a couple of cans of wet food in the kit as well.

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