always be prepared

I recently bought a new car.  This is the first new car I have ever owned.  And it's little-- a Fiat.

Days after purchasing the car, we stumbled upon tiny, tragic Tank (Possum/Oliver/Dodger/Terrence/whathaveyou) and this obnoxious woman walking by on the sidewalk was insisting we have to take this dog because she couldn't take it. "Just pick it up and put it in your car!"

"Well, I just bought a new car," I said.

She acted appalled at me. "Your car?! Who cares! This dog is going to get hit by traffic."

She was rude. But she had a point. I mean, no, I didn't want a flea infestation in my car, possible ringworm spores or who-knows-what, potentially risking the health of my own dogs and me.  But this was a matter of life and death for this little guy.  Why she "couldn't" do anything is beyond me, but I could do something.

So I picked up the dog, wishing I had rubber gloves, and put it... in my trunk.  To be fair, my trunk is safe and significantly roomier than a crate, and while I felt like a criminal putting a dog in my trunk, it was the safest option for the 10 minute drive home, where I set up a safe place for him in the garage.

But the dilemma prompted me to think of the supplies I wished I'd had ready in my car.  So this week, I assembled a dog-helping kit for my car.

It needed to be small so it didn't take up much room in my tiny car, and I didn't want to spend a lot of money.  So I tried to use things I already had and inexpensive, multi-purpose, compact items.  So here it is.  Everything (except the blanket) fits inside of a Swiffer Wet Mop refill container.  Build your own with the following materials.

1. Plastic container -- I repurposed a Swiffer Wet Mop container with lid, but any container works.
2. Plastic poncho -- to serve as a tarp for protecting seats from wet feet and such.  I already had this collecting dust in a closet.
3. Sealed bag with a handful of treats -- for luring dogs out of dangerous situations.
4. Small can of dog food -- with a pop top lid (unless you also happen to store a can-opener in your car.) I spent about $1 on this.
5. Little bottle of water -- I bought a case and stored the rest in the basement. The entire case cost about $3.
   
6. Looping "animal control" leash -- for any sized dog, no collar required.  Goomers, kennels, and vet's offices often buy these in bulk. I asked my vet if I could buy one from them, and they gave it to me for free.  You can also find them for purchase online.
7. Spoon -- for mixing up food.
8. Rubber can lid -- in case you have leftover food.  I got a set of 2 at PetSmart for $3.99
9. Small plastic container -- stores extra plastic bags, collars, rubber gloves; serves as a water dish.  2 for $1 at Target.
10. Container lid -- to serve as a food dish. Came with the container.
11. 1 large and 1 small collar -- Goodwill happened to have a bunch of unused pet supplies one day, so I got these for less than $2 each.
12. Self-adhering bandage -- $3 from PetSmart
13. Sealed bag with 4 rubber gloves -- the supply that prompted this whole endeavor.

Not pictured: 
gauze/bandage -- for use with the self-adhering bandage (I have yet to purchase this or steal it from another first aid kit)
blanket -- to store in the trunk, along with the kit.

So, there it is.  Total cost to me: $14
(This includes some purchases that were not used in the kit, like the entire case of water bottles and container lids that came in a set of 2, but does not include the cost for things I already had on hand, like rubber gloves and the spoon.)
Total value, probably about $16 (plus the blanket)

It fits neatly in my tiny trunk, alongside a blanket.  I included an inventory list on the front so that I can replenish any supplies I end up using. (Because I'm a librarian. Cataloging is important to me.)  I didn't even mean to make everything blue, but I like that it turned out so visually cohesive.

And now I have emergency supplies, not only for my own dogs, but for dogs that I encounter on the street who need help.  I am not advocating approaching strange dogs, which can certainly put you in danger.  But if approached by a dog in need, being prepared for the situation can make it safer for everyone.  Since I seem to find myself in these situations lot lately, having some supplies on hand made sense.

Ta-da!