It was the 2016 Christchurch 7.8 magnitude earthquake that inspired the idea to create an emergency grab and go kit to enable people to keep pets with them during a disaster. Jaime Mills-Hartley and Aaron Hartley (7point8) are a husband and wife team who have recently launched their first product; Emergency Grab and Go Kits for small household pets such as cats, rabbits or small dogs. They have been working with Thrive Whanganui Impact Coach Petrina Clark to complete their business plan.

The idea of a ready kit came as they were securing their ranch sliders during the earthquake and their eldest girl put their then toddler out of the way in the middle of the bed with snacks, toys and colouring in books. They then had the issue of trying to find their cats who had bolted during the shake and they realised how distraught their children would be if they had to evacuate without their pets. After the quake and during the following aftershocks, Jaime continued to work on these concepts with her friend Stacy Foskett. They each decided on different markets for their separate businesses with Stacy focusing on keeping kids safe and occupied in a disaster (Ready Bear) while Jaime and Aaron created 7point8 to focus on animal welfare and keeping pets safe with their owners during an emergency.

‘We were a bit surprised when someone bought a kit for their large German Shepherd dog,'' 7point8 said but the customer added food and water and now has everything in place for their pet if they need to get going in a hurry. It’s useful not just in a disaster but for holidays, travel and last minute plans too. The bags are airline approved and are easy to use with zips on two sides as well as on top which is especially useful for cats. With a larger animal in an emergency it’s a good idea to still have a kit ready, they could then have the option of staying in your car but you’ve got all the supplies on hand. You must have your animal contained in a welfare centre, animals can’t just be loose. People’s pets are a big part of the emergency rescue operation, resulting in pressure on animal shelters, catteries and the pound. During the 2015 floods in Whanganui the police were going in and rescuing dogs off kitchen tables, cats are a bit more self sufficient but it’s really distressing for their owners to not know their whereabouts. ‘Through our experience in disasters it’s not so much the physical but the psychological effects that seem to linger and affect people the most’ says Aaron. Jaime agrees ‘For some people their pets are like their children and it’s a huge comfort to be able to keep them together in an emergency.’ 7point8 emphasises that having a pet grab and go kit is just one part of a household plan and they hope to engage the public to think about disaster preparedness in general. One opportunity to make a plan is through the New Zealand ShakeOut, our national earthquake drill and tsunami hīkoi, taking place Thursday 27 October 2022 at 9:30am.

Going through the Business planning process with Thrive has confirmed that 7point8 is a viable business and has allowed the pair to consider the big picture. When asked what Impact Coach Petrina Clark was like to work with they both laughed ‘It was pretty memorable when Pep went and borrowed someone's dog off the street for our product shoot. Pep deserves a pay rise, she has been fantastic.’ Jaime has previously volunteered for the red cross and currently works in education as a teacher aide. Aaron has a background in the defence force and has worked as a rural firefighter for the last 14 years. The advice from 7point8 for those considering starting their own business is to know that it is hard but not to give up and to ask for help when you need it.

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