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Get a Plan
The best way to protect your family from the effects of a
disaster is to have a disaster plan. If you are a pet owner, that plan
must include your pets. Being prepared can save their lives.
If you evacuate your home, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS
BEHIND! Pets most likely cannot survive on their own; and if by some
remote chance they do, you may not be able to find them when you return.
Sites to help you get started
The HSUS Disaster Center has several brochures
available for download to help you plan for the needs of your pets,
horses, and livestock during an emergency. The following PDF brochures
are available for download:
Have a Safe Place To Take
Your Pets
Service animals who assist people with disabilities are allowed in Red
Cross shelters. It may be difficult, to find shelter for your animals in
the midst of a disaster, so plan ahead. Do not wait until disaster
strikes to do your research. Many communities are developing pet
friendly shelter plans, check to see if your local emergency shelter
plan include pets.
- Contact hotels and motels outside your immediate
area to check policies on accepting pets and restrictions on number,
size, and species. Ask if "no pet" policies could be waived in an
emergency. Keep a list of "pet friendly" places, including phone
numbers, with other disaster information and supplies. If you have
notice of an impending disaster, call ahead for reservations. Go to
Pet's Welcome to search online for pet friendly hotels and motels.
- Ask friends, relatives, or others outside the
affected area whether they could shelter your animals. If you have
more than one pet, they may be more comfortable if kept together,
but be prepared to house them separately.
- Prepare a list of boarding facilities and
veterinarians who could shelter animals in an emergency; include
24-hour phone numbers.
- Ask local animal shelters if they provide
emergency shelter or foster care for pets in a disaster. Animal
shelters may be overburdened caring for the animals they already
have as well as those displaced by a disaster, so this should be
your last resort.
Assemble a Portable Pet
Disaster Supplies Kit Whether you are
away from home for a day or a week, you'll need essential supplies. Keep
items in an accessible place and store them in sturdy containers that
can be carried easily (duffle bags, covered trash containers, etc.).
Your pet disaster supplies kit should include:
- Medications and medical records (stored in a
waterproof container) and a first aid kit.
- Sturdy leashes, harnesses, and/or carriers to
transport pets safely and ensure that your animals can't escape.
- Current photos of your pets in case they get
lost.
- Food, potable water, bowls, cat litter/pan, and
can opener.
- Information on feeding schedules, medical
conditions, behavior problems, and the name and number of your
veterinarian in case you have to foster or board your pets.
- Pet beds and toys, if easily transportable.
Know What To Do As a Disaster
Approaches
- Often, warnings are issued hours, even days, in
advance. At the first hint of disaster, act to protect your pet.
- Call ahead to confirm emergency shelter
arrangements for you and your pets.
- Check to be sure your pet disaster supplies are
ready to take at a moment's notice.
- Bring all pets into the house so that you won't
have to search for them if you have to leave in a hurry.
- Make sure all dogs and cats are wearing collars
and securely fastened, up-to-date identification. Attach the phone
number and address of your temporary shelter, if you know it, or of
a friend or relative outside the disaster area. You can buy
temporary tags or put adhesive tape on the back of your pet's ID
tag, adding information with an indelible pen.
You may not be home when the evacuation order comes.
Find out if a trusted neighbor would be willing to take your pets and
meet you at a prearranged location. This person should be comfortable
with your pets, know where your animals are likely to be, know where
your pet disaster supplies kit is kept, and have a key to your home. If
you use a petsitting service, they may be available to help, but discuss
the possibility well in advance.
Planning and preparation will enable you to evacuate
with your pets quickly and safely. But bear in mind that animals react
differently under stress. Outside your home and in the car, keep dogs
securely leashed. Transport cats in carriers. Don't leave animals
unattended anywhere they can run off. The most trustworthy pets may
panic, hide, try to escape, or even bite or scratch. And, when you
return home, give your pets time to settle back into their routines.
Consult your veterinarian if any behavior problems persist.
Caring for Birds in an
Emergency
Birds should be transported in a secure travel cage or carrier. In cold
weather, wrap a blanket over the carrier and warm up the car before
placing birds inside. During warm weather, carry a plant mister to mist
the birds' feathers periodically. Do not put water inside the carrier
during transport. Provide a few slices of fresh fruits and vegetables
with high water content. Have a photo for identification and leg bands.
If the carrier does not have a perch, line it with paper towels and
change them frequently. Try to keep the carrier in a quiet area. Do not
let the birds out of the cage or carrier.
About Other Pets
Reptiles
Snakes can be transported in a pillowcase but they must be transferred
to more secure housing when they reach the evacuation site. If your
snakes require frequent feedings, carry food with you. Take a water bowl
large enough for soaking as well as a heating pad. When transporting
house lizards, follow the same directions as for birds.
Pocket Pets
Small mammals (hamsters, gerbils, etc.) should be transported in secure
carriers suitable for maintaining the animals while sheltered. Take
bedding materials, food bowls, and water bottles.
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Tobey the Wonder dog has his plan, do your pets have
theirs?
If you evacuate, have a place to go
and take your pets, use
Pet's Welcome to find pet
friendly hotels and motels by state and city listings
For Emergency Managers
Pets and Disasters PPT |
