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A Guide for Pet Owners on Disaster Preparedness
By Susan Doktor MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Nowadays, pet owners tend to think of themselves as pet parents. Pets aren’t an afterthought. They’re not left to roam the streets or sleep outdoors. People dote on their pets much as they do on other family members. They take them into their own beds, buy them gifts, and worry about their safety.
During a natural disaster, safety concerns are more serious and more plentiful. Let’s take a look at why you should have a disaster preparedness strategy for your entire household and how to go about creating a specific disaster preparedness plan for your furry family. Depending on where you live, you may have to modify your plan to account for wildfires, tornados, or floods. Base your plan on the type of natural disaster(s) your hometown is most susceptible to. And remember that cats and dogs require different emergency supplies. Tailor your emergency plan to reflect each of your pets’ needs.
Table of Contents
- How to develop a step-by-step emergency plan for your pets
- Step1: Before the disaster
- Step 2: During the disaster
- Step 3: After the disaster
- Pet disaster preparedness FAQs
- Summary of our guide on disaster preparedness
How to develop a step-by-step emergency plan for your pets
Like many other worthwhile pursuits, developing an emergency preparedness plan isn’t easy. But the good news is that you already have the skills you need. Chances are you’ve created a household budget. You’ve planned a party. You’ve taken a sequence of steps to find a new job. Coming up with a pet disaster plan isn’t all that different.
If you need help getting started on your emergency plan, you can start by consulting with experts like your veterinarian, your local first responders, and the humane society or ASPCA nearest you. All are excellent resources. In the meantime, we’ve developed a structured way of thinking about pet safety so you’ll be ready when disaster strikes.
Step 1: Before the disaster
Emergency preparedness, by definition, requires a lot of planning. Your pets’ safety during an emergency depends on you thinking through all of the dangers that could befall your furry friends during a disaster and accounting for all of them in your emergency plan. When’s the right time to begin planning? In a word, now.
Ensure your pet has an ID collar and a microchip
Some of us have already experienced the pain of losing a pet. Pets get lost in normal times, not just during natural disasters. Lost pets that are properly identified have a much better chance of finding their way home, So be sure your pets are wearing collars equipped with an ID tag. Your pet’s identification tag should be engraved with your pet’s name, and the pet owner’s phone number—cell phone numbers are best. You can also have your vet place a microchip under your pet’s skin. But not all pet finders will think to take a pet to a veterinarian to have its microchip scanned. For some, it’s a big ask. To ensure your pet’s safety to the max, double up with both a pet ID tag and a microchip. This will make it easier for local animal shelters to reunite you with Princess or Spike, too.
Keep up with your pet’s vaccination schedule
That’s good lifelong advice, of course. It’s the bare minimum pet owners should do to ensure a pet’s safety and well-being. But vaccines become even more important during an emergency. You may get separated from your pets and be unable to look out for them. Pets living outdoors are more susceptible to diseases, in part because they are exposed to wild animals. The recent parvo outbreak in Michigan is another example of pets’ vulnerability. Be sure your pet is fully vaccinated at all times.
For dogs, the following vaccines are considered essential:
- Canine parvovirus
- Distemper
- Canine hepatitis
- Rabies
For cats, the following vaccines are considered essential:
- Rabies
- A combination FVRCP vaccine, which provides protects against Feline Rhinotracheitis Virus/Herpesvirus 1 (FVR/FHV-1), Feline Calicivirus (FCV), and Feline Panleukopenia (FPV)
Have a pet emergency kit ready
A well-thought-out emergency kit contains a lot of stuff. You’ll need to keep important documents like your pets’ veterinary records and vaccination records in your kit—ideally in a waterproof container. Make a list of emergency contacts so first responders know who to contact if you’re unable to care for your pets yourself. Remember, you might get hurt during an emergency, too. Choose a trusted neighbor, friend, or family member as your emergency contact.
Your pet emergency kit should also contain the essential supplies your pets will need, regardless of whether you have to evacuate your home.
You may be unable to drive to the pet supply store during a disaster. And if you’re forced to leave your home, you don’t want to have to carry a 30-lb. bag of pet food with you, for example. You shouldn’t be frantically hunting for a can opener as you rush out of your home. Keep one in your emergency kit. If you’re a cat parent, make sure you have a small bag of cat litter and a disposable litter box tucked away too. It’s a big investment, particularly if you’re parenting a Great Dane, but you should purchase a pet carrier or kennel for each of your pets.
Here are a few other must-have pet supplies you should include in your disaster kit:
- A pet first aid kit
- Small amounts of the medications your pets are taking
- Disinfectant
- Paper towels
- Water bowls
- Plastic bags
- Your pets’ favorite toys, blankets, and comfort objects
You should also do a little research and keep the phone numbers of nearby animal shelters in your emergency kit. Depending on the emergency you’re facing, you may need to temporarily stash your pet in a shelter, where he or she can be kept safe, warm, and dry. Get a line on some pet-friendly hotels in your area, so your entire family has a safe place to sleep together during a disaster.
Having a well-planned disaster kit is essential to your pets’ safety. But all the stuff in the world won’t help you or your pet unless you have a pet evacuation plan in place. Make your pet evacuation plan as simple as possible. Plan for several ways of getting out of your home in an emergency. Know where your emergency kit is at all times and keep it accessible on the first floor of your home. Memorize your plan so you won’t be caught off guard while you’re under extreme stress.
Step 2: During the disaster
Keep your pet in a cage
It may break your heart to see your pets “behind bars” for hours or days on end, but honestly, a pet carrier or kennel is the best place for your best friend during a disaster. Containing your pets may be a requirement at some shelters. Friends and family members who might host you during an emergency will appreciate having that option, too. If you have multiple pets and have only one pet carrier, it’s a good idea to purchase a carrier for all of your pets. Your pets will be more anxious if they’re not forced to live in crowded quarters.
Listen to your local emergency broadcast system
Potential disasters and actual emergencies are fluid situations. The direction of local winds may change, for example, and suddenly put your neighborhood at greater risk for wildfires. Tornados are highly unpredictable and can arrive with little or no warning. Be sure you’re able to tune into your local emergency broadcast system for accurate, up-to-the-minute information on the risks you may be facing.
Prepare to evacuate
Plan your evacuation routes and commit them to memory. Evacuation isn’t something you can think through in the heat of a very dangerous moment. Most of us imagine that we will keep a level head in the event of an emergency. But the truth is, you’re going to be under extreme stress if you have to leave your home suddenly. Today’s building codes require homes to have two means of egress. But an emergency might make one or both of those options unavailable. So come up with a third way to evacuate your home: a basement door or first-floor window, for example.
As previously mentioned, your emergency kit should always be close at hand. Given all that experts recommend you keep in it, you can see that it could turn out to be a large, heavy box. But make sure it’s light enough for an adult to lift. If not, perhaps divide your pet emergency kit into two smaller, easier-to-lift containers.
Have a safe zone in your home
Under some circumstances, evacuation may be unnecessary, inadvisable, or impossible. That’s why you should have a shelter-in-place plan, too. Designate a safe zone (sometimes referred to as a safe room) in your home—the place that will best protect you, your pet, and your emergency supplies. Your safe zone location may vary, depending on who lives in your home and what types of emergencies your home is most susceptible to. But experts generally recommend the basement as the best location for a safe room.
Step 3: After the disaster
Make sure your home is safe
A disaster can mean leaving your home for days or even months. The most unfortunate among us may not have a home to return to. No doubt, you’ll be anxious to return home after an emergency, if only to survey the disaster and begin cleaning up. But don’t make the mistake of returning to your home too quickly. Rely on safety professionals, including FEMA, to decide when it is safe to return home. Returning home before your neighborhood is considered safe can actually hinder rescue operations and put others at risk.
Keep pets in carriers until it is safe
You may be tempted to let your pet return to its regular routine as soon as you can. Who could blame you? But be 100% certain that no harm will befall your pets if you release them from their cages. Disasters create hazardous conditions, from falling debris to sharp metal objects on the ground to toxic chemical spills. The last thing anyone wants is to keep their pets safe during the worst of a disaster, then see them injured when they return home.
Let your pet recover from stress and trauma
It’s not just people who suffer trauma during a disaster. Pets do, too. You may find your pet behaves differently after a natural disaster. They may be more clingy than usual. They may suddenly develop separation anxiety when they’ve never exhibited symptoms of it before. It’s common for pets to forget their potty manners after a trauma. So forgive them for having accidents.
Routines will be especially important to your pets as they recover. So will loving attention from you. Try to spend more time at home with your pets after a disaster, perhaps scheduling lunchtime visits even if your pets are accustomed to being alone all day. Extra treats and more snuggle time are also in order as you seek to soothe your pets’ worried minds.
Take your pet to a veterinarian
Sometimes, it’s obvious when a pet needs to see a veterinarian. Of course, if you notice your pet limping or bleeding, it’s time for a veterinary exam. But don’t ignore the less alarming symptoms you see. An upset tummy can mean your pet swallowed a foreign object, for example. It’s okay to be a worry wart after a disaster. Be more cautious with your pets’ health in the aftermath of an emergency.
Pet disaster preparedness FAQs
How do you prepare pets for a disaster?
Honestly, you really can't. Pets live in the moment. They have no concept of the future. So the only thing you can do is prepare yourself to take care of them—and yourself, of course. Your pets are largely helpless and rely on you to think things through.
What should you do with pets during natural disasters?
If you can temporarily re-home your pets somewhere where they'll be safe while your emergency resolves itself, that may be ideal. If you keep your pets with you, make sure you have prepared a pet emergency kit. Keeping your pets confined to carriers is also critical.
How do you keep a pet calm during a disaster?
Pets take their emotional cues from their owners. To keep your pets calm, remain calm yourself. Tone is everything! Talk soothingly to your pets. Reassure them with treats and head scratches. It's also helpful to keep your pets in a quiet area where unfamiliar sounds and loud noises can disturb them.
How can you find your lost pet after a disaster?
To increase the chances of being reunited with a lost pet, make sure your pet is well-identified and its identification tag provides the best phone number to reach you. Having your pet microchipped is also a great idea.
Speed is important when your pet goes missing. Contact nearby animal shelters the moment you discover your pet is missing. You can also use your social media accounts to alert your friends and neighbors that your pet is missing.
What should you do if you find an injured animal?
Secure the pet to the best of your ability. A pet injured in the road, for example, should never be abandoned. Keep the pet warm and give it some water to drink. Next check the pet's ID tag and look for a way to reach its owner. Pets that aren't wearing a collar or ID tag may have microchips. A veterinarian or animal shelter can scan the injured pet, read its chip, and help you find its owner.
Summary of our guide to pet disaster preparedness
Ensuring your pets’ safety during an emergency starts with careful planning, well in advance of any imminent safety issues. It’s not something you can do when the winds are already roaring and the rain is pouring down.
Follow these steps to start preparing today. After all, the nature of emergencies is that they’re unexpected. Getting ahead of an emergency situation is key.
- Be sure your pets wear proper identification—all of the information a Good Samaritan needs to contact you if your pet is missing.
- Gather your pets’ medical records, including vaccinations records, and keep them in a water-safe place.
- Keep your pets healthy. They will be better able to withstand the physical stress of a disaster.
- Have a pet emergency kit at the ready. It should include everything you require to meet your pets’ basic needs for at least several days.
- Make sure your emergency kit includes a pet carrier or kennel.
- Be prepared to help your pets recover from an emergency. You can expect some behavioral changes. Give your pets the extra love they need to feel safe and forgive them for any accidents as they process the difficult experience they just went through.
