← All guides
Hurricane and evacuation prep for pets
Health & safety · 2 min read
If you have to leave in a hurry, your pets should go with you. Here is how to pack a pet go-kit and plan where everyone will stay.
Plan to take your pets
Emergency management agencies are clear on this: if it isn't safe for you to stay, it isn't safe for your pets. Plan to evacuate together. Leaving early, before roads are crowded and shelters fill, makes everything easier with animals in tow.
Find pet-friendly places in advance
Not every shelter or hotel accepts pets. Before storm season, check your county's emergency management website for pet-friendly shelters, and make a list of pet-friendly hotels along your likely evacuation route. Friends or family outside the area are often the most comfortable option.
Pack a go-kit for each pet
•
Food and bottled water for at least a week, with bowls and a can opener if needed.
•
Medications for at least two weeks, with dosing instructions.
•
A copy of vaccination records and the microchip number, in a waterproof bag.
•
A sturdy carrier or crate, labeled with your name and phone number.
•
Leash, harness, and an ID tag with a cell phone number.
•
Litter and a disposable litter tray for cats.
•
A recent photo of each pet, in case you're separated.
•
Comfort items: a blanket or toy that smells like home.
Update microchips and tags
Pets often get separated from their families during storms. A microchip only helps if the registry has your current phone number. Check it before the season starts, and make sure every collar has a tag with a cell number that will work if your home phone is down.
Barn and backyard animals
Horses and livestock take more planning and more time. Arrange a destination and a trailer in advance, practice loading, and have identification for each animal, such as a tag on the halter or a livestock marker with your phone number. Backyard chickens can travel in well-ventilated crates. Decide early; you won't have time on the day.
Share the plan
Make sure everyone in the household, and anyone who cares for your pets, knows the plan: where the go-kits are, where you'll go, and who is responsible for which animal. If you're away when a storm threatens, the person at home needs to be able to act without you.
A shared checklist of jots, such as "Refill pet meds", "Check carrier", and "Update microchip phone", makes it easy to get ready before the season and see what's done.
Put this into practice with JotAboutMe
A shared board for every pet: repeating jots for meals and medications, reminders at the right time, and a record of who did what. Free for your household.