Help getting your animals ready for a storm, an evacuation, or a power outage. Building a pet go-bag, storing food and water, keeping ID and records within reach, and staying calm on the road with dogs, cats, and small animals.
One idea runs through all of it: pets are family, and a family plan that forgets them isn’t finished. Plan for at least three days per pet, ideally two weeks.
What you’ll find in these guides
Three kinds of articles live in this category. Evacuation and sheltering covers the hard-decision stuff: when to leave, how to travel with anxious animals, and finding pet-friendly shelter ahead of time instead of at 2 a.m. Kit building is the hands-on work. What belongs in a pet go-bag, how much food and water to store, and gear that pulls double duty for camping and the RV. ID and records covers the boring, useful part: microchip details, a current photo of you with your pet, and vaccination papers in a waterproof sleeve.
We write from experience and lean on Ready.gov, the ASPCA, and university veterinary-extension programs for anything involving your animal’s health and safety. We do not give medical or veterinary advice. For your pet’s specific needs, your vet knows your animal and we do not.
One rule worth repeating
Never leave a pet behind. If a place is unsafe for you, it is unsafe for them, and animals left loose in a disaster are rarely reunited with their families. Ten minutes of planning, a carrier by the door, a leash on the hook, records in a bag, is what turns a frightening day into a manageable one.
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