Disaster Preparedness for Pets: What to Plan and Pack

September is National Preparedness Month, and we cannot stress enough how important it is to make sure you and your pet know how to weather any storm. During this time of the year, many parts of the country experience extreme weather, hurricanes, flooding and more, and disaster preparedness is critical to keep your pet safe and calm during emergency situations. Here are some lifesaving disaster tips as well as our disaster preparedness checklist to keep your pets safe when storms strike.

Keep Your “Go Bag” Ready

Keeping a “go bag” is a simple and effective way to stay prepared at all times.

Be sure to include:

• Food and water for at least seven to 10 days
• A water bowl, feeding dish and manual can opener if needed
• Two weeks’ worth of your pets medication
• A spare collar and leash
• A copy or USB of crucial medical information
• Familiar toys or bedding
• Litter or newspaper for a litter box for cats
• Garbage bags
• Pet first aid
• Any traveling bags, crates or carriers for each pet

Download our Pet Disaster Kit checklist.

Be Mindful of These Additional Items

• Emergency shelters may not allow pets, so have a list of local boarding facilities, hotels/motels or nearby friends that will allow you to stay with your pet.
• All pets should wear collars and tags with up-to-date identification information. Your pet’s ID tag should contain their name, your telephone number and any urgent medical needs. Be sure to also write your pet’s name, your name and contact information on your pet’s carrier.
• The ASPCA recommends microchipping your pet as a more permanent form of identification. A microchip is implanted under the skin in the animal’s shoulder area and can be read by a scanner at most animal shelters. Be sure you have registered your pet’s microchip, and the microchip registration database has your current contact information.
• We always recommend evacuating with your pets, but if you are forced to leave them behind in your home, be sure to put a safety alert somewhere highly visible to let emergency responders know that there is an animal in the house.

How to Help a Scared Pet

If your pet struggles with storms, there are many things you can do at home to help them stay calm. See our full list of tips for keeping them calm and combatting storm phobia in pets.