Plan Now For Your Pets – Before An Emergency - National Humane Education Society

It is a frightening thought, but animals left behind in disasters including floods, severe windstorms, fires, earthquakes, heatwaves, and droughts — are not likely to survive.

For this reason, it is absolutely imperative that citizens include their pets in their shelter in-place and evacuation plans. Have you thought of these simple, but potentially lifesaving steps to protect your pet in a disaster?

• Keep a collar on each animal with the animal’s name and your phone number on an ID tag and on the animal’s carrier.
   
• Microchip your animals to increase the chances they will be returned to you if you are ever separated.
   
• Keep 1-3 current photos of each of your animals to share if one or more becomes lost.
   
• Whether you are sheltering in place or evacuating, make sure you keep a kit that includes at least 3 days of food for each pet and 7 days worth of water and any prescribed medication. Have documentation of your animal’s vaccine records and bring them with you if you must leave.
   
• Know that emergency shelters will rarely accept animals. Maintain a list of animal shelters, veterinary practices, private boarding kennels, and friends or family members that could shelter your animal in a disaster.