BOSTON – MAY 8, 2025 – Thursday, May 8th, is National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day in the United States. Just last week, nearly 700 miles of severe and deadly weather cut across many U.S. states leaving devastating damage. Disasters can strike in any place, at any time, and often there is little or no warning.  

Fires, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and blizzards, among many others, can be a danger not only to both humans and animals. If you're responsible for a pet, take measures to protect your animals ahead-of-time before a disaster strikes.

Most government agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and state and local authorities, strongly encourage each household to have a predetermined emergency plan (and an emergency bag for every member of the family) in case of sheltering in place orders or you must evacuate from their home, neighborhood, town or city. Your pets should be a part of this plan.  

FOUR PAWS, the global animal welfare organization, has put together some tips to help you be the most prepared for anything that should come your way. Most importantly, plan for your pet BEFORE a disaster strikes. Preparedness saves lives.  

Put simply, preparedness can be broken down into three major components: Knowing, Planning and Collecting. 

1.) Knowing. This means doing some research to understand the dangers that are most likely to arise in your area. Whether these threats are hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, earthquakes, or floods, knowing what kinds of disasters you may face is important and will help guide your Disaster Plan.  

2.) Planning. Now that you know what specific disasters could affect your area, it’s time to plan how you will respond. Planning means predetermining whether and when you will shelter in place, or how you will evacuate (ex. which type of transport – car, train, etc. – and whether they allow pets), and where you would go and who you will meet (ensuring that locations, such as a hotel or a relative’s home, accept pets and have space for them). Your disaster preparedness plan should include every member of your family and household. (You may not know who will be home or the first to arrive home to safely pack your pets in an emergency.) Write down your plan and even practice some parts of it to ensure you're ready for anything.

3.) Collecting. Time to assemble a Disaster Kit. Now that we know what kinds of disasters may arise, and we have a plan for how to respond, we must equip that plan with the right resources. This kit doesn't have to be expensive or state-of-the-art. These can be items you already own just organized in a convenient place to grab and go. By preparing your Disaster Kit, you are giving you and your family the resources they may need to survive through any foreseeable emergency. 

Your kit should include:

• Food and water for at least seven days, food bowls, a blanket, trash bags to collect your pets' waste, a sturdy collar, harness, transport crate, litter tray, and leash. If your animal uses medication, make sure you store a supply of medication as well.  
• Up-to-date contact list including; Veterinarians (your local vet and two vets in opposite directions up to 50 miles away), friends or family you could stay with when you evacuate, pet-friendly evacuation centers or hotels, animal shelters or boarding facilities that could look after your pet, and local rescue and emergency authorities.
• Documents such as copies of your pet’s identification papers, current vaccination records, and up to date medical records should be kept in a waterproof protective cover in the kit.
• Your kit should be stored in an easy-to-carry box in a safe and dry place.

Lastly, making sure that all family and household members know the plan is important. Each family member should be aware of how to act safely and what action steps to follow. Leaving a clear plan in place is the most effective way to secure the survival and safety of each member of your family, pets included.  

Additional advice would be to know your pets’ hiding places as severe weather, earthquakes or loud noises may scare your pet into hiding. Knowing these places makes it easy to find them in an emergency. Practice evacuating quickly and calmly, and in taking shelter at home away from doors and windows. Practicing will help your pet get used to the routine and will reduce their stress should a disaster occur. 

FOUR PAWS has dispatched emergency response and disaster relief teams to many areas around the world to help animals in need after disasters. We provide food, medical care, and our expertise to help rescue and care for animals and reunite pets with their families.  FOUR PAWS believes that animal welfare is an important pillar of the community and animals affected by hazards like disasters or conflict need to be protected. Our organization works to have a meaningful global impact on the welfare of animals and the communities they live in.  

For additional resources and to learn more about FOUR PAWS and disasters, click here.