In response to regional fires and levels of evacuation, prepare in advance to make sure your pets are supplied and have a place to go if you need to leave at a moment’s notice.
Update your pet’s license and microchip information
If you and your pet are separated, having a license and a microchip are the best precautions to help others contact you in an emergency.
- Make sure tags have current phone numbers.
- License your pet with your local jurisdiction.
- Microchip your pet with your local vet.
- If your pet is microchipped, update your contact information with the microchip registry.
Prepare a 72-hour kit for pets
In addition to clothing and emergency supplies you’re packing for yourself, be sure to pack enough supplies for your pet.
Remember to pack:
- Bottled water
- Any medication your pet may need
- For dogs, something to chew on in a stressful environment.
- For cats, several cans of high-quality wet food.
- A favorite toy
- A crate where your pet can be comfortably confined, if needed, in any environment you may be staying
- Bedding- a bed, pad, or blanket
- First aid and sanitation supplies
- Collars and leashes
- Proof of ownership - a copy of vet records, adoption or breeder documentation, licensing records, and photos of you and your pet together.
Plan where you can stay with your pets
- Identify pet-friendly lodging in the area you plan to go in an emergency.
- Speak ahead of time with family and friends you may stay with about accommodations for your pets.
- Find a pet-friendly hotel or motel in advance.
- Find a pet friendly campground.
- If you plan to stay in an emergency shelter, find out what arrangements they may have for your pets before arriving.
- Most Red Cross shelters are unable to welcome pets into the shelter. The Red Cross has partnered with RedRover, which can help you find out where pets can safely stay during an emergency.
- In limited locations, in conjunction with local partners, some Red Cross shelters may have a designated, separate area where small pets can stay. These locations and their pet policies may change over the course of an emergency.
- In shelters that allow small pets, owners are expected to care for and spend time with their pets - shelter volunteers and attendants will not be able to care for them in your place.
- Most regional animal shelters will not have the capacity to provide emergency boarding for your pets in an evacuation.
- In the event that emergency shelters for people aren’t able to accommodate pets, emergency personnel and regional shelters may establish a separate emergency shelter for pets.
Plan ahead with neighbors who can take pets in an emergency if you’re unavailable
Make arrangements with a trusted neighbor in advance to find and bring your pets to you, or provide temporary care in the event that you are away from your property during an evacuation. You can also find temporary foster homes through websites like 911fosterpets.com.