Baffled as to why, should one have to go survivalist, one would even waste the time and resources to maintain “pets”. What one would need would be dogs of the large, loyal, and appropriately vicious variety.
Hmmmm...in an EMP event, or gasoline shortage, a horse just might have a little utility. Have fun pedaling your mountain bike.
When trash collection ceases, especially in an urban or suburban area, there will be two kinds of people: those with cats, and those with rats.
Of course dogs are early warning and protection, but smaller breeds can also do double duty as ratters, and if you live in a rural area and plan on hunting to supplement your subsistence, a hunting dog or two just might come in handy.
“Baffled as to why, should one have to go survivalist, one would even waste the time and resources to maintain “pets”.”
They aren’t “pets” in a crash. Theft will become widespread. Can you keep someone in your family awake 24 hours a day? There’s a reason dogs and humans have hung together for millenia. They bark when someone gets in your garage at 3am. They will engage a burglar for the 20 seconds it takes you to wake up, orient, and get your gun.
And, as much as I dislike cats, rodent control becomes much more important when things fall apart.
Getting a large vicious dog is probably mistake #17 or 18. I have a little Pug that stays in the house. You absolutely cannot come on my property and get close to my house without her alerting me to that fact. That's all I need. She doesn't eat a lot and I have over a years worth of food for her.
As noted in Survial Blog small dogs have a lot in their favor.
1. The small dog (with regular walks) can live happily enough in an apartment. He'll provide a vocal deterrent to intruders, which is often encouragement enough to find a different target. Conversely, large dogs and apartments do not mix well...
2. Small dogs are easier to train than you think. The key to all canine interaction is establishing dominance. The smaller the dog, the easier this is.
3. The small dog will eat and drink next to nothing. This is clearly a massive pro if you're hitting the road after all hell breaks loose.
4. The small dog can be carried easily. In your backpack no less. Imagine your 60+ pound Doberman has gone lame after walking 20 miles on asphalt. Enough said...
5. In a world of guns and gangs it's foolish to think that an attack breed dog will even the odds. On the contrary, that scary dog is more likely to spark the firefight that will end your life.
Dogs and cats are in some cases more than just pets.
Without cats, a rural home will more quickly be overrun with plague and pestilence.
Without dogs, the coyotes, wolves, bear, mountain lions, and other pests and predators will more quickly move in.
Overall, the admonishments in the article are very sensible.
“Baffled as to why, should one have to go survivalist, one would even waste the time and resources to maintain “pets”.”
I think you may have a bit of a fantasy/hollywood view of the type of people being discussed in this article. In most cases, these people are simply trying to plan for the normal and predictable disruptions that occur to goods and services due to commonplace events (hurricanes, earthquakes, social unrest and so on).
I grew up in tornado alley and was used to having a stocked basement with radios, first aid kits, candles and flashlights, food & water. Over time, it became apparent that these simple preparations and minor use of forethought allowed us to more comfortably weather freak events like a 200-year-rare icestorm that leaves cities crippled for a week or more.
I live in an area of the country now where “severe weather” would be a freak 100 year storm that drops BB sized hail, so I don’t have a storm shelter or emergency supplies, but I can very readily see the good logic behind having some things socked away for emergency use. Haven’t gotten around to it, back burner and all that, hope that lazy thinking doesn’t bite me in the backside one of these days.
From what I’ve seen, what the media loves to call “survivalists” tend to have just taken slightly more prep in their emergency plans. The line of thinking goes like: “Ok, we’ve got some pre-planning and prep done for normal emergencies... kick it up just a notch and we’ll cover our butts in a lot of unforeseen events.”
Take an existing hurricane or earthquake plan, add a month or two supply of shelf-stable food along with the various and sundry items you might need in that time period, and you have an insurance plan that can help you comfortably weather a VERY wide range of NASTY events. Since such nasty events are rare, such emergency plans usually end up helping someone handle job loss or bad personal injury; but in the end, it’s still pre-planning well used.
I’ve never, EVER, met a person preparing for an apocalypse (at least one who admitted as much). I have however met many people who put a bit of thought and effort into making sure that they can handle temporary upset in their lives.
So, back up. You’re making up a household emergency plan to cover severe weather, earthquakes, maybe the rare riot or temporary bout of marshal law. Why the hell WOULDN’T you include a case of Alpo for the family dog?