Pets and Emergencies

When it comes to pets and emergencies remember some pets are not allowed in some public shelters or hotels.  Plan to take your pet with you to a relative or friends home or identify a pet friendly hotel or boarding facilities in advance. Remember to pack extra water, food and if necessary medication for your pet.

If you evacuate your home, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND! Pets most likely cannot survive on their own; and if by some remote chance they do, you may not be able to find them when you return.

Plan for pet disaster needs

For public health reasons, many emergency shelters cannot accept pets. Find out which motels and hotels in the area you plan to evacuate to allow pets -- well in advance of needing them. There are also a number of guides that list hotels/motels that permit pets and could serve as a starting point. Include your local animal shelter's number in your list of emergency numbers -- they might be able to provide information concerning pets during a disaster.

Take pet food, bottled water, medications, veterinary records, cat litter/pan, can opener, food dishes, first aid kit and other supplies with you in case they're not available later. While the sun is still shining, consider packing a "pet survival" kit which could be easily deployed if disaster hits.

Make sure identification tags are up to date and securely fastened to your pet's collar. If possible, attach the address and/or phone number of your evacuation site.  If your pet gets lost, his tag is his ticket home. Make sure you have a current photo of your pet for identification purposes.

Pets and emergencies - make sure you have a secure pet carrier, leash or harness for your pet so that if they panic, they can't escape.