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Protecting Your Pets in an Emergency
Make plans to ensure your pet's safety before, during, and after an emergency. The following are organizations and resources that you can contact or access to help you plan how to protect your pets.
Download fact sheets for pet owners in English and Spanish.If you don't have a plan and need information quickly in an emergency, contact:
• Local Animal Shelters - Because most emergency shelters do not admit pets, local animal shelters may be able to offer advice, such as what to do with your pets if you are asked to evacuate your home. You can search for local shelters on the Pets 911 Web site.
• Local government animal control or service agencies can provide guidance on how to protect your pets in an emergency.
Find out what your community's plans and resources are for protecting pets in an emergency.
The following are considered key resources for planning how to ensure your pets' safety before an emergency:
• American Red Cross - Visit the Red Cross' Web site on Animal Safety at www.redcross.org.
• American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) - AMVA offers a variety of resources to assist veterinarians, animal owners, and others interested in the well-being of animals to prepare for animal safety in the event of a disaster.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - FEMA is the federal agency that leads the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. View information about animals and emergencies on the FEMA website.
• Florida State Agricultural Response Team (SART) - SART offers a downloadable PowerPoint presentation "Pets & Disasters: Personal Planning."
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine offers the fact sheet "Protecting Pets in a Disaster." This fact sheet provides tips on preparing for a disaster and handling animals during and after a disaster.
• National Animal Poison Control Center - In emergency situations, pets could be poisoned by exposure to harmful chemicals, products, or foods. For information on protecting your pets, visit the Animal Poison Control Center's Web site. If you suspect that your pet has been poisoned, call toll-free 1-888-426-4435 (calls are answered 24 hours a day, every day).
• Pet Travel and Lodging Resources - Most emergency shelters do not take pets. Before an emergency, plan where you will take your family and pets if you are ever asked to evacuate your home. There are a number of organizations that offer advice and resources for traveling with pets, including searchable lists of lodging establishments that accept pets. For example, visit:
DogFriendly.com
PetTravel.com
PetsWelcome.com
TravelPets.com
• The Humane Society - Visit your local Humane Society's Web site on pets and disaster planning.