Pet Emergency Plan: Evacuation and Preparedness With Pets

Why Pets Change the Evacuation Calculus

After Hurricane Katrina, researchers estimated that 44% of people who refused to evacuate did so because they would not leave their pets. People died because evacuation shelters turned away animals.

This is not a criticism of those choices. It's a recognition that pets are family members and that emergency plans that don't account for them are incomplete.

The ASPCA estimates roughly 100 million dogs and cats are kept in American households. Most emergency plans are written for humans. The pet emergency plan covers the rest.

Build the Pet Go-Bag

A pet go-bag sits alongside your household go-bag and gets grabbed with it.

For dogs and cats:

| Item | Notes | |------|-------| | Food | 3-day supply in a sealed bag or container, specific to your pet | | Water | 1 gallon (pets have the same water vulnerability as humans) | | Bowls | Collapsible bowls take no space | | Medications | 7-day supply of any current medications, with dosing instructions | | Vaccination records | Most recent, in waterproof sleeve | | Photo | Clear recent photo of you with your pet | | Leash, collar with ID tags | A second leash stored in the bag | | Carrier or crate | Appropriately sized, kept accessible | | Waste bags/litter | 3-day supply | | Comfort item | Familiar blanket or toy reduces stress | | Vet contact card | Name, clinic, phone, after-hours emergency number |

A note on carriers:

A properly sized carrier is the most important safety equipment for cats and small dogs during evacuation. A loose cat in a car during an emergency is a dangerous distraction and an escape risk. A carrier that the cat is familiar with (and ideally comfortable in) is the answer.

For large dogs that can't be crated, a vehicle harness that attaches to the seatbelt is a safer option than free movement in the car.

Identification and Recovery

If you and your pet are separated during an emergency, identification is what gets your pet back.

Microchip: If your pet is not microchipped, this is the most important single step you can take after reading this. A microchip (inserted by a vet for $25-50) is permanent identification that cannot be removed. It is scanned at shelters and vet clinics routinely. When separated pets are found, the microchip is how they're matched to their owners — as long as the registration is current and contains your current contact information. Register and maintain your microchip registration annually.

ID tags: Current tags with your phone number on the collar. Not your old phone number. Your current number.

The photo: A recent clear photo showing you with your pet, stored on your phone and as a physical copy in the pet go-bag. This is proof of ownership for shelter admission, vet clinics, and reunification after separation.

Shelter and Lodging During Evacuation

Finding pet-friendly accommodation during a mass evacuation is harder than it sounds. Plan this in advance.

Emergency shelters:

Check your county's emergency management website for pet-friendly shelter options. Since the PETS Act (2006), many jurisdictions have developed companion animal shelters that operate adjacent to human shelters — animals are housed nearby but separately. In others, the infrastructure exists on paper but not in practice. Know what your specific county offers.

Hotels and motels:

Many hotels are now pet-friendly during declared emergencies, though this varies. Know in advance:

• Which hotel chains are generally pet-friendly (La Quinta, Best Western, Extended Stay America, and Motel 6 are historically more pet-permissive)
• Which properties in your potential evacuation destinations accept pets
• Call ahead if possible — policies change, and some properties require documentation (vaccination records) that you should have in the go-bag

Friends and family:

The simplest option. Know in advance which friends and family members have space and are willing to shelter you and your pet. Not "they'd probably be fine with it" — an actual confirmed conversation. The time to find out that Aunt Linda is allergic to cats is not during a hurricane evacuation.

Boarding facilities:

Keep the contact information for 2-3 boarding facilities in your potential evacuation direction. Many boarding facilities will accept evacuating pets with current vaccination records even without prior reservations during declared disasters. Their capacity fills fast — call early.

During the Emergency

Shelter-in-place:

Keep pets inside. During active storms (tornadoes, hurricanes), outdoor hazards from debris, floodwater, and downed power lines kill pets that wander. A door left open during chaos can result in a frightened pet fleeing into danger. During active emergency events, confine pets to a secure room.

Evacuation:

Load pets first. An animal loaded into a vehicle calmly before the stress peaks is manageable. An animal that panics in a busy parking lot during a chaotic evacuation is a crisis.

Never leave pets in a vehicle alone for extended periods, especially in summer heat. A car interior can reach 120°F+ within minutes of the engine stopping. If you stop for food or supplies, coordinate with a family member to stay with the vehicle.

Signs of pet stress:

Panting (dogs), excessive grooming (cats), hiding, vocalizing unusually, or refusing food — these are stress indicators. A stressed animal is more likely to bite, scratch, or bolt. Handle stressed pets calmly and deliberately.

When You Cannot Take Your Pet

Some scenarios make taking a pet impossible: an evacuation order with no time, transportation that can't accommodate the pet, a shelter situation where pets are prohibited.

If you must leave a pet behind:

• Leave them inside the home with 5 days of food and water accessible (use automatic feeders/waterers if available)
• Leave a visible notice on the front door: "1 dog inside, name _____, contact _____"
• Notify a neighbor with your contact information and pet care instructions
• Contact animal control when safe to return and notify them of the pet's location
• Return as soon as you're legally able

Leaving a pet behind is a last resort. It carries significant risk. The preparation step is ensuring this scenario is never the only option — by building the transportation, shelter, and network options that allow you to take your pets with you.

Species-Specific Notes

Birds: Need carriers that prevent drafts and maintain temperature. Extremely sensitive to air quality changes, smoke, and temperature fluctuation. Cover the cage partially to reduce visual stress. Do not use smoke-producing cooking methods near birds.

Reptiles: Temperature-dependent and require heat source maintenance. Pack a hand warmer supply and an insulated container. Cold temperatures shut down reptile metabolism quickly. Know the minimum temperature for your specific species.

Small mammals (rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets): Highly susceptible to heat stress. Keep carriers in the coolest available space. A frozen water bottle wrapped in a towel provides cooling. Do not use frozen bottles directly against the animal.

Fish and aquatic animals: Honestly, fish are the hardest pets to evacuate. For short emergencies, a battery-powered air pump keeps an aquarium oxygenated. For evacuation, a container with aquarium water, a battery pump, and careful temperature management can work for short periods. For rare or expensive specimens, contact a local fish store or aquarium about temporary boarding.