PCARES - Pet Planning

Make a Plan

Plan how you will assemble your pets and anticipate where you will go. If you must evacuate, take your pets with you if practical. If you go to a public shelter, keep in mind your animals may not be allowed inside. Consider family or friends willing to take in you and your pets during an emergency. Other options may include a hotel that allows pets, a kennel or veterinary hospital that does boarding.

Get a free rescue alert sticker from the ASPCA. Display the sticker somewhere visible to rescue workers such as near your front door to let people know there are pets inside your home.

To make a comprehensive plan for animal evacuations, you must address four core components: updating their identification, mapping out pet-friendly destinations, assembling a specialized emergency kit, and practicing the execution. If a disaster is imminent, remember the golden rule of pet safety: if it is not safe for you to stay, it is not safe for your animals.

1. Secure Reliable Identification

During a chaotic evacuation, animals can easily become separated.

Tags & Collars: Ensure all pets wear collars with up-to-date tags displaying their name, your phone number, and critical medical needs. Label their travel carriers with the same info.
Microchips: Check that your pet’s microchip is registered and your contact information is current. For livestock, ensure they have clear identification like ear tags, bands, or tattoos.
Proof of Ownership: Keep physical and digital photos of you together with your animals. This acts as vital documentation to claim your pet at a shelter.

2. Map Out Safe Destinations

Many public emergency shelters do not accept animals due to health and safety regulations. Plan your locations well in advance:

Pet-Friendly Accommodations: Research hotels or motels outside your immediate area that allow pets.
Social Networks: Arrange a network of out-of-town friends, relatives, or boarding facilities willing to host your animals.
Large Animals & Livestock: Secure commitments with local fairgrounds, racetracks, or equine centers equipped to handle livestock. Ensure you have a reliable truck and trailer option ready to transport them.
The Neighborhood Backup: Designate a trusted neighbor who can grab your animals and emergency kits if a disaster strikes while you are away from home.

3. Build an "Evac-Pack" (Go-Bag)

Keep a dedicated, waterproof, and easily transportable bin near your exit. Your kit should feature:

Category Small Pets (Dogs, Cats, Mammals) Large Animals / Livestock

Sustenance 5 to 7 days of food/water, manual can opener, bowls 3+ days of feed/hay, supplements, water buckets

Control Sturdy leashes, harnesses, and one crate/carrier per pet Halters, lead ropes, lariats

Medical 2-week supply of meds, copies of vet/vaccine records Vet history, ownership papers, medical supplies

Sanitation Litter box/litter, poop bags, paper towels, dish soap Shovels, waste bags, disinfectant, cleaning cloths

First Aid Bandages, antiseptic, tweezers, thermometer, muzzle Tailored veterinary wrap, antiseptics, specialized tools

4. Practice and Train Your Animals

An emergency shouldn't be the first time your animal experiences a crate or a trailer.

Crate Conditioning: Leave pet carriers open in rooms your pets frequent so they view them as safe spaces rather than sources of stress.
Staircase Training: If you live in an apartment, train your dogs to confidently use the stairwells, as elevators may power down during emergencies.
Loading Drills: Routinely practice loading horses or livestock into trailers so they remain calm amidst unusual noise and commotion.

For template frameworks and community-wide planning resources, you can review structural emergency guides provided by organizations like the ASPCA Emergency Sample Plans and Ready.gov Pets.

To build a wildfire-specific animal evacuation plan, you must understand the three wildfire evacuation phases (Get Ready, Be Set, and Go Now) and act early—never waiting until the last minute or relying on firefighters to evacuate your animals.

1. Know the Wildfire Evacuation Phases

Wildfire responses follow a tiered warning system that dictates when you must move your animals:

Get Ready (Warning): Monitor local emergency alerts (such as county notification systems), identify at least two escape routes, and hook up your stock trailers or stage pet carriers near the door. Bring all outdoor pets and cats inside immediately.
Be Set (Pre-evacuation): Load your animals into trailers or secure small pets in carriers, finish packing your go-bags, and hitch up any vehicles. Do not wait for a mandatory order if your animals load slowly.
Go Now (Mandatory Order): Evacuate immediately. If it is not safe for you to stay, it is not safe for your animals.

2. Tailor Your Plan by Animal Type

Household Pets (Dogs, Cats, Birds, Small Mammals):
- Keep cats and small pets in secure, well-ventilated individual carriers labeled with your contact info.
- Place a familiar item like an unwashed pillowcase or blanket inside to reduce stress.
- Post a visible rescue alert decal on your front window or door indicating how many pets are inside if you are away during an emergency.
Horses and Large Livestock:
- Practice loading horses into trailers regularly so they do not panic under smoke, sirens, or flashing lights.
- If you cannot evacuate them in time: Open pasture gates, cut wire fences if necessary, and herd them into a pre-cleared, low-fuel defensible zone (avoiding automatic waterers since power often fails).
- Mark large animals beforehand using livestock crayon with a phone number on their coat, braided mane tags, or a breakaway neck band.

3. Identify Safe Destinations & Transport Networks

Shelter Rules: Human emergency shelters (like Red Cross sites) generally do not accept animals due to health codes, though service animals are allowed.
Pre-arranged Havens: Map out pet-friendly hotels along your evacuation paths, or coordinate ahead of time with out-of-town friends, boarding kennels, or local fairgrounds and equestrian centers that take livestock.
The Neighbor Buddy System: If you work away from home, share keys, gate codes, and transport plans with a trusted neighbor who can load your animals if a fire breaks out unexpectedly.

4. Pack Specialized Wildfire Go-Kits

Keep ready-to-grab waterproof containers packed with essentials:

For Small Pets: 3 to 7 days of food and water, non-spill bowls, current vaccination and medical records, proof of ownership photos, microchip details, leashes/harnesses, and 2 weeks of medication.
For Livestock: Non-nylon halters and lead ropes, 3 to 7 days of feed/hay and water buckets, a flashlight, heavy leather gloves, a knife, wire cutters, a shovel, and medical/vaccination papers.

For localized planning tools and regional alert registration, check resources through Ready for Wildfire and the ASPCA Wildfire Safety Guide.

Build a Kit

In addition to your own disaster supply kit, build kit that includes basic survival items to keep your pet happy and comfortable. Start with the list below, or reference the Prepare for Emergencies Now: Information for Pet Owners Brochure to find out exactly what your pet needs to be ready.

When evacuating with pets, you must pack a dedicated pet go-bag containing at least a 3-to-7-day supply of their specific survival resources. Because mass public emergency shelters frequently cannot accept animals due to health regulations, having a fully self-contained kit ensures your pet will be admitted to pet-friendly hotels or specialized animal holding areas.

Emergency management agencies like the American Red Cross and the CDC recommend packing the following items:

1. Food, Water & Feeding Gear

3 to 7 Days of Food: Pack dry food in airtight, waterproof plastic containers, or bring canned food. If using cans, ensure they have pop-tops or pack a dedicated manual can opener.
Dedicated Water Supply: Store 3 to 7 days of clean bottled water specifically for your animals.
Bowls: Pack lightweight, collapsible travel bowls to save space in your backpack.

2. Safety, Restraint & Travel Equipment

Sturdy Carrier or Crate: Bring a secure, transportable pet carrier for each smaller animal. Write your name, pet’s name, and contact information directly on the carrier using a waterproof marker or duct tape.
Leash, Harness, and Collar: Pack a heavy-duty leash and a secure harness for dogs and cats. Ensure they wear a collar with an updated, legible ID tag displaying your current phone number.

3. Medical Records, Forms & Documentation

Keep these items sealed inside a waterproof plastic zip bag:

Vaccination & Medical Records: Physical copies of their rabies certificate and official vaccination logs (many boarding facilities or shelters will reject animals without these).
Microchip Information: A paper slip listing your pet's microchip registry number and the tracking company’s phone number.
Photo of Verification: A physical photo of you holding your pet. If you are separated during chaos, this acts as definitive proof of ownership to recovery shelters.
Prescriptions: A 2-week supply of regular medications along with written dosing instructions.

4. Sanitation & Waste Management

For Dogs: A roll of heavy-duty waste pickup bags, paper towels, and a small bottle of pet-safe disinfectant spray.
For Cats: A small cardboard shoebox or aluminum roasting pan to act as a disposable litter tray, a small bag of cat litter, and a plastic litter scoop.

5. Stress Relief & Comfort Items

Familiar Smells: Toss a well-loved blanket, towel, or familiar toy into the kit. The familiar scent acts as a vital sensory anchor to keep highly stressed animals calm in chaotic environments.

To safely evacuate horses using a trailer, evacuate early at the first warning phase, use natural fiber halters (never nylon), and practice calm, steady loading before an emergency happens.

1. Pre-Trip Gear & Equipment Check

Halters & Ropes: Put a leather or cotton-rope halter directly on the horse. Avoid synthetic or nylon halters and lead ropes—they can melt in high heat and cause severe burns during a fire.
Trailer Readiness: Check tire pressure, lights, floorboards, and the hitch long before an emergency. Keep your tow vehicle fueled up and ready, ideally hooked up to the trailer during high-risk weather or Red Flag Warning days.
Emergency Kit & Documents: Load your pre-packed water buckets, 4 to 7 days of hay/feed, essential medications, and a waterproof binder containing Coggins tests, medical records, and ownership photos.

2. Loading the Horses Safely

Move at the Warning Stage: Do not wait for mandatory orders or until you see flames. Trailers slow you down, and traffic bottlenecks quickly.
Stay Calm: Horses feed off human panic. Keep your voice low, move deliberately, and remain patient. If a horse balks, an experienced handler should step in immediately rather than letting frustration escalate.
Load Smartly: If you have multiple horses, load a steady, experienced " buddy" horse first to help calm nervous or younger animals.
Secure and Tie Properly: Tie horses using a quick-release knot or a proper panic snap so you can free them rapidly if an accident or trailer issue occurs. Close and latch all tail gates, partitions, and escape doors securely.

3. Driving and Transit Safety

Avoid Blocked or Smokey Routes: Drive out via pre-scouted secondary paths. Never drive through thick smoke, active fire fronts, or flooded low-water crossings.
Drive Smoothly: Take turns, stops, and accelerations much slower than normal. Shifting or panicked horses inside a trailer can throw off your vehicle's center of gravity.
Check During Stops: On longer hauls, pull over safely in a well-lit, fire-free area to check that partitions are holding and no horse is distressed.

What to Do If You Run Out of Time

If fire moves too fast and you cannot safely load and haul your horses, do not trap them locked inside a burning barn or a small wooden stall. Instead:

Turn them loose into a large, pre-cleared, heavily grazed, or dirt paddock stripped of brush and low trees.
Never leave a halter on a loose horse—it can snag on fences, branches, or burning debris.
Mark your horse beforehand using a livestock crayon with your phone number on their body, a shaved phone number in their coat, or a braided mane tag.

Review regional equitation and transit protocols via AQHA Wildfire Preparation Tips and UC Davis Center for Equine Health.

If you cannot evacuate your livestock in time during an emergency, turn them out into a pre-cleared, safe, large pasture or arena, remove all synthetic halters, and provide 48 to 72 hours of feed and water.

Agricultural extension offices and emergency response guidelines recommend taking the following critical steps when turning out animals:

1. Select and Prepare the Turnout Area

Choose a Low-Fuel Zone: Move animals to a heavily grazed, irrigated, or dirt/gravel paddock, arena, or large pasture that has been cleared of tall grass, brush, and low-hanging tree branches.
Avoid Wooden Structures: Keep them well away from wooden barns, hay storage, propane tanks, or dense timber lines where radiant heat and flying embers are most intense.
Open Gates and Drop Fences: Open pasture gates wide. If necessary, cut perimeter wire fences to give animals a clear path to move away from approaching fire fronts or smoke.

2. Remove Halters and Attach Emergency ID

Take Off Synthetic Halters: Never leave nylon or synthetic halters or lead ropes on a loose animal. Heat can melt synthetic material against a horse's skin, causing severe, disfiguring burns.
Apply Temporary Identification: If they are not microchipped or tagged, use a livestock grease crayon to write your phone number and name directly on the animal's coat, or braid a durable tag into their mane.

3. Provide Essential Supplies (Without Relying on Power)

Lay Out Hay: Drop 48 to 72 hours (3 days) of hay or feed directly onto the ground in a cleared, open area rather than inside a rack attached to a burning structure.
Do Not Count on Automatic Waterers: Power grids frequently fail or are shut off (such as during a Public Safety Power Shutoff), disabling well pumps and automatic water troughs. Fill heavy plastic tubs or portable troughs to the brim beforehand.

4. What to Do After You Leave

Alert Authorities and Neighbors: Notify local animal services, county extension agents, or neighbors remaining behind where your animals have been turned out.
Stay Away Until Cleared: Once you evacuate your property, do not return until local emergency management or law enforcement explicitly declares the area safe. Entering an active fire zone puts your life at extreme risk and can panic the animals further.

Stay Informed

Pay attention to wireless emergency alerts for local alerts and warnings sent by state and local public safety officials.

Listen to local officials when told to evacuate or shelter in place.

Always bring pets indoors at the first sign or warning of a storm or disaster.

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