A household emergency plan that includes your pets

Plan for the pets as well as the people

Storms, fires, floods and power cuts arrive with little warning. The U.S. government’s Ready.gov guidance on pets asks households to include pets in the family emergency plan and states plainly that if local officials ask you to evacuate, your pet should evacuate too. Pets left behind may be lost or injured.

A plan made in a calm week is far easier to follow under pressure. This guide brings together Ready.gov and the ASPCA’s disaster preparedness guidance and finishes with an original one-page plan for your household.

Decide where you would go and who would help

Ready.gov notes that many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets inside, so it recommends knowing a safe place to take your pets before an emergency. Write down two or three options: friends or relatives outside your area, hotels that accept pets, or boarding facilities. Check each one again when your situation changes.

Ready.gov also recommends a buddy system: arrange with neighbors, friends or relatives for someone to care for or evacuate your pets if you cannot. Give your buddy a key, show them where the kit and carrier are kept, and tell them where your pets usually hide.

The ASPCA suggests a rescue alert sticker placed on or near the front door, listing the types and number of pets in the home, so rescue workers know to look for them.

Build two kits

Ready.gov recommends two pet kits: a larger one for sheltering in place and a lightweight one for evacuating. Review both regularly so food and medicines stay fresh. Its list includes:

• Food for several days in an airtight, waterproof container.
• Water and a water bowl for several days.
• An extra supply of any regular medicine, in a waterproof container.
• A first aid kit; Ready.gov suggests asking your veterinarian what is appropriate for your pet.
• A collar with ID tag, a harness or leash, and backups of each.
• Copies of registration and other relevant documents, in a waterproof container and stored electronically.
• A travel bag, crate or sturdy carrier, ideally one per pet.
• Sanitation supplies such as litter and a litter box, paper towels and plastic bags.
• A photo of you and your pet together, to help prove ownership and identify your pet if you are separated.
• Familiar toys, treats or bedding to help reduce stress.

The ASPCA’s own list suggests at least seven days of bottled water for each person and pet, replaced every two months. Use whichever is larger for your household’s stay-at-home kit.

Practise with the carrier

A pet that hides from its carrier can cost precious minutes. Ready.gov suggests leaving the carrier out where your pet spends time, leaving it open, offering treats near or inside it, and adding a familiar blanket or bed so it smells like home.

Make this part of normal life instead of something that only appears before a vet visit. A few minutes of practice now and then can make the real day calmer for everyone.

Write down where each pet hides

Ready.gov recommends noting where your pets hide so you can find them quickly if you have to leave. Cats in particular may disappear when a house becomes noisy or busy. Walk through the home and list the usual places: under a particular bed, behind the washing machine, inside a closet.

Ready.gov also recommends microchipping, keeping your address and phone number up to date with the registry, and including an emergency contact outside your immediate area. Check those details at the same time.

Fill in a one-page household plan

This is an original Housemates exercise. Use one sheet of paper per household and keep a copy with each kit.

1. Pets. Name, species, a short description and a recent photo for each animal.
2. Hiding places. Two or three usual spots for each pet.
3. Destinations. Your first and second choice of pet-friendly place to go, with phone numbers.
4. Buddy. The name and number of the person who will help if you cannot get home.
5. Veterinary contacts. Your usual clinic and an emergency clinic outside your area.
6. Kit locations. Where the stay-at-home kit, grab-and-go kit and carriers are kept.
7. Review date. When you will next check food, medicines and contact details.

Our pet-sitter notes tool can hold the daily routine to tuck in with the plan, so whoever helps knows how your pets are normally cared for.

Store the kits where you can reach them

A kit only helps if someone can grab it quickly. Choose a place near the exit you would actually use, not the back of a high cupboard behind holiday boxes. Keep the grab-and-go kit light enough for one adult to carry together with a pet carrier, and keep the larger stay-at-home kit somewhere it will stay dry if water comes in.

Label each bin clearly with the pets’ names. If a buddy or neighbor has to collect your pets, a clear label and the one-page plan taped inside the lid save them from searching. Ready.gov recommends reviewing kits regularly so food and medicines stay fresh; put a reminder in your calendar and replace anything that has expired.

Medicines need the most attention. Ask your veterinary team how to keep an extra supply of any regular medicine, and note the dose and timing on the plan so a helper can follow the routine already prescribed.

Stay informed

Ready.gov recommends paying attention to wireless emergency alerts, following local officials’ instructions to evacuate or shelter in place, and bringing pets indoors at the first sign or warning of a storm. If you are unsure how to care for your pet in an emergency, it suggests contacting your local emergency management office, animal shelter or animal control office.

This guide is a planning aid. Follow the instructions of local officials during any emergency.