Unfortunately, emergencies can strike at any moment — and while you may have already created a disaster plan for your human family, what about your pets? You should be prepared in case your pet gets lost, injured or needs evacuation. The following checklist covers suggested preparations from the CDC for pet safety during an emergency:
Documents
- Photocopied veterinary records
- Rabies certificate and other vaccination records
- Medical summary
- Prescriptions for medications
- Most recent heartworm test result (dogs)
- Photocopied registration information (e.g., proof of ownership or adoption records)
- Pet description(s) (e.g., breed, sex, color, weight)
- Recent photographs of each of your pets
- Microchip information (e.g., microchip number, name and number of the microchip company)
- Your contact information (plus phone numbers and addresses for your family and friends you may be staying with)
Water, Food, Medication
- 2-week supply of food for each animal stored in waterproof containers
- 2-week supply of water for each animal
- Non-spill food and water dishes
- Manual can opener (if needed for canned food)
- Feeding instructions for each animal
- 2-week supply of any medications plus medication instructions
- 1-month supply of flea, tick and heartworm prevention
Other Supplies
- Appropriate-sized pet carrier (if applicable) with bedding, blanket or towel
- Cleaning supplies for accidents (paper towels, plastic bags, disinfectant)
- Leash, collar with ID and harness
- Pet first aid book and first aid kit
- Toys
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For more information, click here to visit the CDC's website.