Survival guides · Family & Communication

Evacuate With Pets

WHEN TO USE THISTaking them is always safer than leaving them. Go early — pets slow you down.

1. Leave early

   • Go when evacuation is recommended — don't wait for the order.
   • Round them up at the first sign. Scared animals hide, fight and bolt.
   • Carriers where you can reach them — not the attic.

2. Secure them

   • Dogs: leash and harness — a panicked dog backs out of a collar.
   • Cats: hard-sided carrier.
   • Birds: a light cloth over the cage.
   • Small animals: their cage or a secure carrier.
   • Never loose in the car.

3. On the road

   • Quiet car, comfortable temperature. Carriers covered.
   • A familiar blanket, a calm voice.
   • Don't feed an anxious pet in a moving car. Water at stops.
   • Dogs out every 2–3 hours.
   • Never leave them in a parked car — it heats up in minutes.

4. When you get there

   • Carrier or leash until you have a secure space.
   • Food, water, litter box — set up first.
   • Usual feeding times.
   • Accidents, pacing, hiding, not eating — normal for a few days.
   • Records and ID within reach.

Sources: FEMA / Ready.gov · ASPCA Disaster Preparedness for Pets

General information to help in an emergency — not a substitute for training or professional care.