June 1, 2026

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Emergency Preparedness: Get Your Pet's Plan in Place so the Whole Family is Ready!

It is officially start of the hurricane season and if the horrible natural disaster events (wildfires, floods, etc.) last year have taught us anything, it's that the need to have an Emergency Preparedness Plan in place is more important than ever. And that plan must include your cherished pets! A natural disaster can be a life-changing event, but taking just a bit of time to prepare can help you and Fido weather whatever comes your way. Here are six steps to take right now to get ready.

1. Identify your pets. Having proper identification is a crucial first step in ensuring you and your fur baby will be able to be reuinited. That means a collar with tags, a valid, up-to-date license, and a microchip. Be sure that your pet's microchip is current—if you've moved or changed your contact info, you must register the new information with the microchip company associated with your pet's chip.

2. Get your "go" bags ready. Your pets need a go bag just like you do, packed with the absolute essentials and easy to grab in a hurry. One of the most important things to include (after water) is an extra stash (7-day supply) of your pet's exact brand and type of food. The stress of an emergency situation can cause your pet to be extra sensitive to food changes. So keep an extra supply on hand and be sure to rotate the supply so that it's always fresh. And don't forget bowls, liquid dish soap and a manual can opener.

3. Medications and medical conditions? If Fido has any chronic illnesses and takes meds on a regular basis, be sure to keep an extra supply of his medications (2-week minimum), dosage and administration instructions, his veterinary records, and a list of his medical conditions in his go bag.

4. Photos and more photos. Sure, you've got plenty of photos in your phone. But what if the battery dies? Keep copies of your pet's photos (including ones with you and your pet) together with all your other emergency kit supplies. This will not only prove you are his owner but will also be critical for spreading the word if he becomes lost.

5. Find out ahead of time where you and your pets can safely evacuate to. If you don’t have friends or relatives nearby, check with your local animal shelter, humane society, your veterinarian, or other animal welfare organizations in your area to find out if they maintain a list of pet-friendly evacuation sites. Some communities even have pet-specific emergency shelter organizations (usually comprised of hard-working volunteers). If your community doesn’t, research pet-friendly hotels and motels.

5. Find out ahead of time where you and your pets can safely evacuate to. If you don't have friends or relatives nearby, check with your local animal shelter, humane society, your veterinarian, or other animal welfare organizations in your area to find out if they maintain a list of pet-friendly evacuation sites. Some communities even have pet-specific emergency shelter organizations (usually comprised of hard-working volunteers). If your community doesn't, research pet-friendly hotels and motels.

6. Emergency kit. Take a look at these ready-made emergency kits for dogs and cats. To customize for your pet, just add to it with your pet's exact foods and meds, or keep it as is, in your car for travel emergencies. Taking the time to make sure the whole family is prepared for emergencies is easy to do when you realize just how much is at stake.

Download this handy checklist from Schwarzman Animal Medical Center today!