How to prepare your pet for an emergency

Your pet is a member of your family and having an emergency plan in place will ensure they don’t get left behind, injured, or lost during a disaster. Here’s what you should do to help keep your pet safe in an emergency.

Identify your pet
Make sure your pet wears a collar and ID tag at all times. As an extra precaution, you may want to opt for a permanent means of identification such as a microchip or tattoo.

Prepare a pet emergency kit
Keep your pet’s emergency kit somewhere that’s easy to access and make sure you have enough supplies available to last at least three days.

Your kit should include:

• A strong leash, collar, or harness
• Pet food, water, and bowls
• Newspaper, paper towels, and plastic bags
• Medications
• Recent photos of your pet
• Emergency numbers and contact information
• Licenses and vaccination records
• A basic pet first aid kit
• Blankets and toys
• A crate or carrier

You should check your kit twice a year to restock or replace supplies.

Make an evacuation plan
The best way to protect your pet in an emergency is to bring them with you. However, many evacuation shelters only accept service animals. This is why it’s important to create a list of alternate locations where your pet could be safely housed and cared for in the event of an evacuation.

Your list could include places such as:

• Your veterinarian’s office
• A boarding center or animal shelter
• A pet-friendly hotel
• A trusted relative’s or friend’s house

Unfortunately, evacuating your pet isn’t always possible. To be safe, consider purchasing “pets inside” stickers to place on your home’s front and back doors to alert rescue personnel to look for pets in your home.

Being prepared for an emergency will help ensure your pet remains safe and healthy if you and your family need to evacuate your home.