Identification: the most important thing
- A microchip, with your details up to date in the registry. It's ID that can't get lost. Save the number in your phone and in the kit, and ask your vet to scan it at the annual check-up.
- A collar with a tag and a contact number, as well as the chip.
- A recent photo of you with your pet: it helps prove ownership if you get separated.
The pet kit
- Food for at least three days, ideally two weeks at home, in an airtight container. Rotate it like yours.
- Water: about 1 fluid ounce per pound of body weight per day. A 45 lb dog needs around a third of a gallon daily.
- Collapsible food and water bowls.
- Medication and a copy of vaccination records.
- Leash, harness and a carrier where the animal can stand up and turn around.
- Poop bags, cat litter and a tray.
- A blanket or toy that smells like home: it greatly reduces stress.
Include their water and food in the calculator.
Where to evacuate with them
Many emergency shelters and hotels don't accept animals. Decide your alternatives now:
- Relatives or friends outside your area who could host you.
- Pet-friendly hotels along likely evacuation routes.
- Your vet, boarding kennels or local animal shelters.
- A trusted neighbor with a key who can get your pet out if you're away from home.
If you're told to evacuate
- Take them whenever possible. If it isn't safe for you to stay, it isn't safe for them either.
- Leave early: animals hide when they sense stress. Knowing where yours hides saves minutes.
- Get them used to the carrier beforehand, with treats, so it isn't a struggle on the day.
- If you truly can't take them, leave them in an interior room without windows, with plenty of water and food, never tied up, and notify authorities or animal rescue.
Afterwards
Animals get stressed too and may behave differently for days. Keep routines, make sure they don't escape in a changed environment, and check they haven't eaten or drunk anything contaminated after a flood.