Don’t forget your furry, feathered and finned friends! Preparing your pets for disasters

Photo courtesy Susan Polan

Are your pets ready for a disaster? Now’s the time to get them in shape!

We’re not asking you to put your pets through boot camp and run them through escape routes. But before a disaster hits, it’s important that you — the one who loves them the most — come up with food, transportation and shelter options for your pets.

That last one can be especially important to think about in advance. According to research in APHA’s American Journal of Public Health, when disasters hit, some pet owners find it difficult to find shelters that accommodate pets.

Sometimes that means that people stay behind when they shouldn’t, risking the lives of both themselves and their pets. During Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, for example, almost half of people who refused to evacuate did so at least partially because they wouldn’t leave their pets, the AJPH study noted.

And it’s not just the general public that’s affected. As many as a third of health workers may be unable to work during a disaster if they don’t have a safe place for their pets, research shows.
However, if you locate pet-friendly places to go before a disaster, you can increase your ability to find a safe place for you and your pets to go when needed. You can find directories of pet-friendly hotels online. Print out a list of those in your local evacuation area and keep it in your supplies. Home-sharing services with pet-friendly options, such as Airbnb, are another option to keep in mind.
Some public shelters accept pets as well. To find out if there is a pet-friendly shelter near you, contact your local animal shelter or emergency management office.

Pet owners should also prep an evacuation kit, sometimes called a “go-bag.” Include three days’ worth of food and water, garbage bags for clean ups, a leash, a first-aid kit, a crate or other pet carrier and a litter box and poop bags. Don’t forget toys, blankets and pet beds.

Pack so your pet will be comfortable during an emergency. It’s also important to have copies of your pet’s vaccination and medical records.

By planning ahead, you can protect your pet and yourself, too. For more tips, check out our fact sheet.