How to prepare for a natural disaster with your pets

With recent hurricanes like Helene and Milton, I've been thinking more about what I would do if I had to quickly evacuate with Lili.

I headed over to ready.gov to find out some ways I can be ready in case we ever need to evacuate.

Here are some tips from ready.gov and what I’ve learned as a pet death doula to help you prepare for the unexpected.

1-Have a plan

If you need to evacuate, where will you go? Are you going to stay in a shelter, a hotel, or with friends or family?

Did you know many emergency shelters and hotels, despite what social media tells you, do not allow pets in their facilities, even in an emergency? Find out in advance which hotels will accept pets, where pet friendly shelters are located and find out which out-of-town friends will let you bring your pets with you to stay during an emergency. You can contact your local authorities to help you locate pet friendly shelters.

What are the evacuation routes in your area? Do you have an old fashioned paper map? Cell service may not be available and your maps app on your phone will do you no good if you don’t know where to go. Keep a paper map in your evacuation kit.

Before evacuating, change your voicemail message to let friends and family know your destination and safety status. This can be a critical way for them to locate you if cell service is spotty.

Who will your pet stay with if you can’t get home?  Have an emergency contact who has access to your home to get your pet and their emergency kit, if you are not able to do so.

2-Secure a safe space

For some emergencies, you will not need to evacuate, but need to find a safe space in your home. Find a spot in your home you can designate to be your safe space. Keep your emergency kit there and make the space comfortable for you and your pet. Generally, this is a place in your basement or a room on a lower floor in your home with no windows.

3-Have emergency kits ready

You can go to ready.gov to find out what you will need for your family to prepare, but there are some suggestions on what you should have available in your pet’s emergency kit:

Food: Have several days worth of food ready to go and have an airtight, waterproof container ready to put it in. Keeping a small bag of food on hand that you can put in your emergency kit is a great idea.

Water and bowls: Have water in your pet’s emergency kit, along with a water bowl to put food and water in. I’ve used poop bags in a pinch, but there are many options for foldable bowls these days that are easy to store.

First aid kit: This can include your pet’s medications, bandages, wipes, anything relevant to your pet’s care.

A crate or carrier: Depending on where you and your pet wind up, a crate may be a safe option to put them in.

Bedding, toys, and other items to comfort your pet: Some pets do not do well in strange situations, so having familiar objects around them can make the time away from home easier for them.

Documents in a waterproof container: Copies of prescription medications, a photo of you and your pet together, identification, your vet’s information should all be kept together in a waterproof bag or container to help document ownership, should you and your pet get separated.

Sanitation items: pet litter, poop bags, newspapers, towels, paper towels, trash bags, old towels, to help keep things clean.

An extra harness and leash

A life vest for your pet

4-Update your pet’s identification

If you haven’t already done so, microchip your pet. Pet’s every year are reunited with their guardians due to being microchipped. And make sure the information on your pet’s microchip is current.  Make sure your pet’s tags are up to date as well and include your contact information.

5-Plan for the worst

While it’s not something we like to think about, it’s important to consider what would happen to your pet if something happens to you. Too many pets end up in shelters because there isn’t a clear plan in place.

A pet trust is a legal arrangement set up for the care of your pet after your death. You can set money aside and leave detailed care instructions for your pet. You can have a guardian set up to take your pet after your death. A lawyer can help you set up a pet trust.

Preparing ahead of time will keep you from panicking down the road, should a natural disaster or anything else head your way.  By going through these steps and preparing for something that we hope will never happen, you can ensure your pets remain safe and secure, as much as it is possible to do so.