Your pet belongs in the household emergency plan from the start. Think through staying home, leaving together and having someone else step in if you are away. Ready.gov's guidance offers a practical starting point: decide where your pet can go, gather supplies and make identification part of the plan. Work through those choices before an urgent decision is needed.
Include Your Pets in the Plan
Ready.gov advises including pets in your family emergency plan and taking them with you if officials ask you to evacuate. Many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets, so choose a safe destination for them beforehand. A household plan should answer where everyone will go and how the animals will travel, rather than assume arrangements can be made on arrival.
Develop a buddy system with a neighbor, friend or relative who can care for or evacuate your pets if you cannot. Talk through both possibilities: help while you are away and help when you are home but unable to manage everything yourself. Write the agreed plan down with your pet's documents so the practical decisions are together.
Two Kits, Not One
Ready.gov recommends a larger kit for sheltering in place and a lightweight version for evacuation. The home kit supports staying put; the portable kit needs to be ready to leave with you. Work from the same basic needs for both, then consider what you can carry alongside your pet's carrier or leash.
- Food and water. Keep several days of food in an airtight, waterproof container, plus several days of water and a water bowl.
- Regular medicines. Keep an extra supply in a waterproof container as part of the kit.
- Identification and records. Include a collar and ID tag, a backup leash and copies of relevant documents in a waterproof container, with electronic copies too.
- Travel and everyday needs. Include a sturdy carrier, ideally one per pet, sanitation supplies and familiar toys, treats or bedding.
Review both kits regularly, especially food and medicines, as Ready.gov recommends. Treat that review as a chance to check the whole plan: whether the supplies are ready, the records are together and the person helping you understands the arrangements. A packed bag should support a plan you have already discussed.
Getting Pets Ready to Travel
Carrier preparation can begin before there is any need to leave. Ready.gov suggests leaving the carrier out where your pet spends time and keeping it open. Put treats nearby or inside, and add a favorite blanket or small bed so it smells familiar. Include those ordinary moments in your preparation rather than bringing the carrier out only when departure is urgent.
Also note where each pet hides. Ready.gov includes this step so you can find them if you need to leave quickly. Share those hiding places with your buddy and consider how you would gather each animal, its carrier and the portable supplies. Walk through the sequence together while you have time to think.
Winter Storms and Power Outages
Ready.gov's winter weather guidance warns that winter storms, including blizzards, can last a few hours or several days and cut off heat, power and communication services. Pets are among those at greater risk. Include their needs when gathering supplies for several days at home without power, alongside the needs of everyone else in the household.
Consider the home kit and evacuation kit together. Staying home requires supplies for the disruption; leaving requires a destination that accepts your pets and a way to take them along. Review both options with your buddy instead of letting the winter plan depend entirely on being able to remain at home.
Identification Before the Emergency
Ready.gov recommends microchipping pets, keeping contact details current and including an emergency contact outside your immediate area. It also recommends a picture of you and your pet together to help document ownership if you become separated. Keep that picture with your records, and use the lost and found guide to think through identification before it is needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my pet leave if I am told to evacuate?
Yes. Ready.gov says your pet should evacuate too. Plan a safe destination beforehand because many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets.
Why prepare a separate portable kit?
Ready.gov recommends both a larger kit for staying home and a lightweight version for evacuation. Keep the portable supplies ready to take with your pet.
What if I cannot get home to my pet?
Arrange a buddy system in advance with a neighbor, friend or relative who can provide care or evacuate your pet when you cannot.