Flu Pandemic? Get Pet Food. (w/poll)

My Company (a major Oil Co) has been pushing the prevention of the spread of Influenza and Germs at work recently.  We have new signs and hand sanitizer everywhere, in addition to hospital strength disinfectant wipes for our phones etc.

I thought this was just another corporate fad.  Then today, I got a flyer in my mailbox today with 4 easy steps on it.  The interesting part was the reverse side, which read:

Home Preparation

In the event of an influenza pandemic, we suggest that you make preparations for you and your family by stocking your home with the following items:

    - Food and water supplies for 10-15 days
    - Clean water supply or a water purification system
    - Medical supplies and a generous supply of prescription medications
    - Sufficient supply of cash in case banks is unavailable
    - Pet food

Okay, I admit to not reading as many of the flu diaries here as I should have, but what the hell does my employer know and how bad do they expect it to get?  Banks, Pharmacies and fresh water unavailable?  Wow.

One comment from my boss, "Pet Food?  If it becomes that bad, my pets will become the food."

Now I need to go back and read all those great diaries by DemFromCT and others. http://www.dailykos.com/...

•  I admit this is a little sparse for a diary,

  but got tired of waiting for another open thread :)

  by ETinKC on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:09:36 PM PDT

  •  Don't eat your pets.....

    ...they love you, and you wouldn't want to live in a world where you have to eat pet food, anyway.

    by Bensdad on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:17:39 PM PDT

    •  not eating mine

      If things are that bad, I think having a couple of good-sized guard dogs around will be helpful.

      The cats, on the other hand...

      by Leggy Starlitz on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:22:24 PM PDT

    •  My pets do love me

      but if we ran out of pet food...I would become the pet food.

      by ETinKC on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:24:25 PM PDT

      •  You must have cats.

        When mine licks my hand or neck, I wonder if he's kissing me, or performing a taste test...

        by vansterdam on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 04:39:45 PM PDT

•  Terra,Terra.Terra

  Why?  So that you citizen will accept the giving up of your rights in exchange for "protection".
  As reported in a Tennessee newspaper Bill Frist and Dennis Hastert attached an immunity from prosecution clause to a defense appropriations bill passed in Dec 2005.  What specifically does this mean? It means if your son goes into a coma from a new drug protected by the clause you are out of luck.  No big settlement, no money for the lifelong care of an invalid.  And check out the new bill S1873.  BARDA, yet another super secret CIA type agency to "manage" all things drug.  They are specifically exempt from the FOIA.  I'm sure they will "manage", yea, just like FEMA "managed" Katrina.
  You don't need duct tape, you don't need plastic wrap and you don't really need food.
  What do you need?
  Guns.

  by Lasthorseman on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:17:56 PM PDT

  •  I don't think you understand why have food.

    It is so you can stay home and not expose yourself to sick people.  You could just shoot yourself, I suppose.  Sick peole won't invade your house, and well people should stay home and avoid you and your guns.  If you plan to use your guns to steal from others, then you may find yourself getting sick.

    Our government gives the waivers for vaccines since the companies won't make vaccines unless they receive such waivers.  Sorry you think it is a conspiracy.  There is a fund for those injured by the vaccines you can apply to if your son is injured.

    Perhaps they mentioned pet food because after Katrina, when peole died to stay home with pets, they realized pets need to be considered in disaster planning.  I didn't think this was that crazy a suggestion.  In a few weeks I plan to clean my basement and assemble my storage center for the food and water.  I will add pet food to this plan.

    by murrayewv on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 04:33:16 PM PDT

•  I hope your boss has

  stringy old pets.  {snark}

  by JPete on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:18:51 PM PDT

•  It's simple

  Feed the cat so it doesn't go out and eat birds and come home with the flu.

  by cjkring on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:30:10 PM PDT

•  Pet food ain't so bad.

  As far as the dry stuff goes, definitely go with the dog food.  It's pretty bland, while cat food has a strange sharp taste to it.  

  What can I say, I was an inquisitive child.  

  I do think there is a market for Bachelor Chow.  

  by cryptochrome on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:31:21 PM PDT

•  With a new election cycle upon us

  It's obviously time to restore the Orange Alert (not seen since 2004).  This is such bullshit.

  by DelRPCV on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:32:33 PM PDT

•  Add "Learn how to make

  kimchi."

  by retired on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:42:41 PM PDT

•  Commonsense approach

  OK - let's take a commonsense approach and pretend there were no reference to bird flu:

     - Food and water supplies for 10-15 days

  Up north where snows can fly like crazy and it's freezing cold (-30) this makes sense.  Ditto if you are in hurricane, flood or tornado territory.  You don't have to think Katrina - just think Iowa and it's recent tornadoes.

     - Clean water supply or a water purification system

  This one is a tad odd since they told you to have 15 days worth of water supplies anyway.  If it's that bad, I'd think you'd figure something out or FEMA will have finally found their supplies.  I CAN see having something to purify the water (bleach etc.)

     - Medical supplies and a generous supply of prescription medications

  This is a good idea, but unless you have a really understanding doc, you  may not be able to pull this one off.  Prescriptions expire also - and we aren't made of money.

     - Sufficient supply of cash in case banks is [sic]unavailable

  That makes sense.  There may be ATMs but if the power is out they aren't going to be working.  Cash doesn't expire either.  Here again, that's providing you can afford to have a "stash" put away.

     - Pet food

  By all means, remember your pets.  But pick flavors that might be of interest to you.

  by kfred on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:48:22 PM PDT

•  Pet food my ass!!!!

  There is no way these two guys are going to end up somebody's dinner table!!!

  

  by Dave n Indy on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:57:12 PM PDT

  •  Not to worry Dave...

    they're not even big enough for an appetizer.

    by VA6thDem on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 03:59:40 PM PDT

    •  That's fact!!!!

      The hawks out here don't even consider them food...

      by Dave n Indy on Thu Apr 20, 2006 at 04:12:23 PM PDT