Hurricane Irma was a very strong storm. It hit Florida in September. Many people left their homes. Some made special plans ahead of time. They planned to take their pets with them.

This is important. It is easy for pets to get lost in disasters. Rescue centers take in many pets after a big storm. Some pets get scared. They run away. Others get left behind. Scared pets may hide. Their owners cannot find them.

Sometimes, families leave without their pets. They have to leave quickly. So they do not have time to find the pet. Planning can keep this from happening.

Plan Ahead For Emergencies

Tim Rickey works for an animal rescue group. It is called the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Mr. Rickey said families should plan ahead for an emergency. They should not leave their pets at home. It is too dangerous.

Families that plan can still lose their pets. This is sad for the family. And it is scary for the pet. But they should not give up. There are ways to find each other again.

Comfort Your Pet During Storms

Owners know their pets. Does your dog run when he gets scared? Ask your parents to buy a stronger leash, Mr. Rickey said. Does your cat like to hide? Make her a safe place. Then you will know where to look for her first. Make sure you can get there quickly. You may have to leave home in a hurry.

Your pet may be scared by a big storm. Comfort him or her. Treats and toys can cheer your pet. Lots of snuggles help, too.

Don’t Lose Hope

Planning is a big help. But disasters are unpredictable. You may still lose your pet. If so, do not lose hope. You need to keep looking. Animal rescue centers are very busy after a disaster. You should call them often.

Also, you should search for your pet in a wide area. Do not stick to your town only. Your pet may be in a nearby town or city. Sometimes, other states take in animals after disasters. See if this is the case where you live. Then check with those faraway shelters.

Are you a great person? When we compare ourselves with great people, we may feel very ordinary and unimportant. However, we must remember that those great people were extraordinary. The world has more than 6 billion people, so it is difficult for all of us to be extraordinary. What can we do? We can try to be the best people that we can possibly be.

I think this means that we need to be honest, hard-working, and open-minded. We also need to be kind to other people. Most importantly, we need to be ambitious (有雄心的). We need to always set goals for ourselves and work hard to achieve these goals.

Madame Curie and Thomas Edison were hard-working, kind and ambitious, and they worked hard to achieve their goals. Curie gave her life to “ease (减轻) human suffering”. Edison spent all his life as an inventor. He invented the camera that showed movement. Later people used cameras to make modern films.

A famous writer from Ireland once wrote “We are all in the gutter (底层) but some of us are looking at the stars.” I often come up with this when I am unable to achieve something. It reminds me that we are all at a lower level and that we all have a higher goal to work towards. It makes me try to be the best person that I can possibly be.