A Pet Parent's Guide to Preparing Your Pets for Emergencies - Petful (2024)

Petful writer Gayle Hickman contributed to this post.

Assembling an Emergency Kit: Preparing Your Pets for Emergencies

When disaster strikes, the last thing you want to do is frantically gather critical supplies for your family and your pets. You may have assembled a disaster preparedness kit for people, but do you have one specifically for your pet? Preparing your pets for emergencies involves ensuring they have their own kit ready to go, just like every other member of your family.

The best way to avert disaster is to be totally prepared for it, so do yourself and your four-legged friends a favor by assembling an emergency preparedness kit especially for your pets. According to the American Red Cross, you should keep the same type of emergency kit for your dog or cat as you would for your family. Store everything in a plastic tub or in a pet crate in a convenient place. Include these items:

• Extra pet medications
• Cat or dog first aid kit
• Food, treats, water, and bowls
• Sturdy leashes, harnesses, and carriers
• Pet beds, blankets, and toys

In a waterproof bag, store information about feeding, medical conditions, and any behavior problems; copies of the pet license, vaccination records, microchip paperwork; and current photos. Every six months, switch out the food and treats to keep them fresh, and check the pet medications to ensure they haven’t expired.

Essential Supplies for a Pet First Aid Kit

Although human first aid kits have many supplies that will work for pet emergencies, they don’t include everything you’ll need to help your pet in a critical situation. Preparing your pets for emergencies means having a well-stocked first aid kit specifically for them. Assemble your own with these essential supplies:

• Gauze sponges
• Triple antibacterial ointment
• Rubbing alcohol
• Betadine
• Ear syringe
• Cotton squares
• Q-tips
• Ace bandages
• Gauze bandages
• Nonstick wrapping bandages
• Bandage scissors
• Sterile, non-adherent pad
• Hypoallergenic tape
• White petroleum jelly
• Eye wash
• Hot spot spray or foam
• Pepto Bismol tablets
• Benadryl
• Buffered aspirin (aspirin toxicity information)
• Kaopectate tablets
• Hydrocortisone 1% cream
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Tweezers
• Muzzle
• Rectal thermometer

Keep your main pet first aid kit at home and store a smaller kit in your car for when you’re on the go. This way, you’ll be prepared no matter where an emergency might occur.

Pet First Aid/CPR Classes

Another crucial step in preparing your pets for emergencies is to take a pet first aid class. These classes, often offered by organizations like the American Red Cross, can teach you vital skills to help your pet in critical situations. Some key benefits of taking these classes include:

• Learning how to perform CPR on pets
• Understanding how to manage wounds and injuries
• Gaining knowledge on how to stabilize a pet during an emergency
• Being prepared to handle sudden health issues like choking or seizures

It might interest readers to know that although I have a fully stocked emergency kit for my pets, we’ve done nothing about creating such a kit for ourselves. I guess you can tell where my priorities lie…

Natural Disasters: Planning Ahead for Your Pets

With all the natural catastrophes in the past few years, we’ve had far too many opportunities to learn the value of being prepared, especially when it comes to our pets. Emergencies are chaotic, but a little forethought can help things flow more smoothly if the worst happens. Preparing your pets for emergencies means thinking ahead about their needs during natural disasters and ensuring you have a plan in place. Here are some steps you can take:

• Practice your evacuation plan regularly with your pets
• Identify pet-friendly emergency shelters in your area
• Create a pet evacuation plan that includes packing their emergency kit
• Keep a list of important contacts like your vet and local animal shelters

Creating a Lost Pet Flier

It’s a good idea to create a lost pet flier for each of your pets before an emergency happens. That way, if one of them escapes, you’ll be able to respond more quickly. When preparing your pets for emergencies, consider these steps for making an effective lost pet flier:

• Include a clear, recent photo of your pet
• Add your pet’s name and your contact information
• Note the date and location where your pet was last seen
• Offer a reward and mention if your pet requires daily medication

These details can make it easier for someone to identify and return your pet if they’re found.

Directions to the Emergency Vet

If you only have minutes to get your pet to the hospital, having the pet ER’s information handy could help save your pet’s life. Preparing your pets for emergencies should include planning how to get to the nearest 24-hour emergency vet. Here’s how you can make sure you’re ready:

• Locate your nearest 24-hour emergency vet
• Use Google Maps to get directions and copy them into a document
• Include the vet’s name, address, phone number, hours, and cross streets
• Add step-by-step driving directions to avoid confusion in an emergency

Create this document even if you have GPS or know exactly where the vet’s office is located. Post it on the refrigerator so that if there’s an emergency, anyone at your house can get your pet to the vet quickly and efficiently.

Pet Evacuation Plan

If you already have a family emergency response plan, you’re a step ahead. However, it’s just as crucial to plan and practice an evacuation plan for your pets in case of fire, earthquake, or other catastrophes. Leaving dogs and cats at home alone during events like a hurricane is highly risky, as you can never be certain when you’ll be able to return home, and your pet may not survive on their own.

• Gather your pet’s first aid kit into a rubber container large enough to hold everything.
• Collect enough crates for all your pets and store their leashes and harnesses inside.
• Place the crate(s) and supplies in your garage or another emergency exit location.

Practicing Your Pet Evacuation Plan

Next, create a plan that allows you to evacuate your family first, followed by your pets. It’s essential to practice this plan regularly, especially if you have multiple pets. Here’s how you can prepare:

• Capture your pets and get them into their crates.
• Load the crates into your car.
• Practice using stuffed animals first, then do a trial run with your pets.

By thoroughly preparing your pets for emergencies, you increase the chances of keeping them safe during a crisis. After Hurricane Katrina, this policy is changing, ensuring more shelters accommodate pets during evacuations.

Hurricanes: Special Concerns

If you need to evacuate, leaving your dog or cat at home alone during a hurricane should be an absolute last resort. Doing so could put them in great danger. However, if leaving your pet behind is your only choice, definitely do not leave them chained outside! Instead, follow these steps to keep them as safe as possible:

• Leave them inside your house, confined in a safe area.
• Leave your bathroom door open, with the toilet seat up, so your pet can access water if needed.
• Ensure they have plenty of food available.

Post a notice outside your home, in plain view, stating what pets are inside. Include a telephone number where you can be reached, along with the name and telephone number of your veterinarian. This veterinary information is crucial, as emergency medical responders face physical and legal risks if they try to help your pet.

During the Storm

If your pet remains with you throughout the hurricane, it’s important to stay calm. Your pet will sense any uneasiness you have, and your reactions can influence their behavior. After the storm has passed:

• Accompany your pet outside, as the environment may have changed significantly.
• Be cautious of downed trees, power lines, and debris, which can be hazardous.
• Keep your dog on a leash to control what they come into contact with.

Your pet’s behavior may change after all the upheaval. They may become confused and need reassurance that things are safe. Once their secure feeling returns, they should return to their normal self.