Pets and Their People Blog

This spring has brought frequent severe weather, requiring us to take shelter in the basement due to tornadic activity. I was motivated to create a storm shelter beneath the basement stairs and described how to plan ahead for people, and their pets. I describe how I built and stocked the shelter. Considering the nearly daily severe weather events all across the nation, this may help families stay safe.

Meteorologists just a few years ago hesitated to link local weather catastrophes with climate change, but now it is common for them to cite frequent, extreme weather events around the world as a direct consequence of climate change. Higher air temperatures combined with higher moisture concentrations lead to more frequent, and more violent weather events. 

That affects pets and their people alike.

On November 14, 2024, a tornado struck just a few miles south of my home, heading straight for us. By the time it veered east, it caused 2.4 million dollars in damage, destroyed homes and farm structures, and killed farm animals. It was the first February tornado in Wisconsin since the 1950s. More recently, three tornadic storms have triggered tornado warnings near us, with each storm heading for our vicinity. Two more tornados ravaged the countryside south of us.

These events prompted my wife and I to take our Labrador, Bruno, to the basement for shelter. From my tornado spotter days, I recalled the basement steps were likely the most secure feature in a house. 

Vivid news video of entire neighborhoods swept away by tornadoes revealed intact basement steps, as proof of this concept. Whenever I see such destruction, I wonder what became of the pets.

I decided to transform the space beneath our basement stairs to a shelter, which I named Hotel Bruno – Presidential Suite.

First, I cleared out all the stuff we had been storing beneath the stairs.  Then I removed the cobwebs, dust and other debris which accumulated in 30 years. It was time to create a new mess, with sawdust and lumber leftovers.

To bolster the strength of the structure, I attached 2”x6” horizontal planks to the 2”x4” vertical studs and created a doorway, to which I later attached a sturdy door with a latch. The door swings inward in case debris falls outside of it. I installed a bright light to illuminate the enclosed stairway space.

Then I created bench seating with storage space beneath it, and four shelves for supplies. There was room for a metal storage chest, and shallow storage behind the door. I laid carpet on the floor and the bench seat top and put a comfy dog bed on the floor.

The shelter itself was functional, but we added these supplies:

• A complete first aid kit, for pets and people.
• Dog food, leash, bowl, water, and toys.
• Human food and water.
• A battery-operated lamp, with extra batteries.
• A NOAH weather radio with AM/FM, a hand-crank for power, a solar panel for charging, a battery power supply, a DC power supply, and a smart device charger.
• A pen, pencil, paper, scissors, and utility knife.
• A storage chest contains rain gear, seat cushions, and a blanket.
• Night vision binoculars.
• Extrication tools: a large pry bar, a large axe, a small pry tool with a blade, and a sledgehammer.

In the event of a weather emergency, I printed a list of last-minute things to grab on our way to the shelter. These will be added to a metal storage box already in the shelter, containing spare vehicle keys and a safe deposit box key. Additional items: bank books, cash, cell phones, wallet and purse, laptops, smart device chargers, extra flashlights, insurance company contact information. The list is attached to a kitchen cabinet.

Bruno already enjoys playing with us in the basement, and I began enhancing the comfort and value of the shelter by offering him food-filled toys there, which he already applauds with squeals of joy upon presentation. In this video, Bruno enjoys playing with his Magic Mushroom in the shelter: 

If your pet(s) are afraid of going to the basement, as our dog Gandhi once was, now is the time to do some training/conditioning to prepare for an emergency trip to the basement. 

It is unlikely that our home will be destroyed by a tornado, but we are now prepared for the worst.  In news reports, I heard several survivors say that they had barely run down the basement stairs before their house was swept away, and afterward they emerged from the rubble with…nothing. In one case, a woman survived in her basement but was trapped by the rubble. I imagine none of the survivors ever thought their home would be struck by a tornado either.

It only cost about $200 to prepare Hotel Bruno, since I already had some of the supplies on hand and could do the construction myself.  If hiring a carpenter is beyond your budget, perhaps a handy relative or friend would do the job for you, in return for barter.

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About the Author

Daniel H. Antolec, PCT-A, CCBC-KA, CPDT-KA began teaching dogs in 2011 and founded Happy Buddha Dog Training. He teaches dogs in a way that makes it fun for pet stewards and pets alike.