Hurricanes, wildfires, floods, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, civil unrest — emergencies can strike at any moment. And you may need to evacuate your home. Are you prepared to care for your pets during an evacuation?

If you must evacuate, take your pets with you. You’re the best person to care for them. Also, the American Veterinary Medical Association says on preparing for a disaster, if the situation is dangerous for people, it’s dangerous for animals, too.

Before you leave home, know where you can take your pets. During an emergency, temporary public shelters may not allow animals inside. So you’ll need to find alternatives. Have a list of pet-friendly motels or hotels, or plan to go to a friend or relative’s house who will let you bring your pets.

You never know when an emergency will arise that will force you to leave your home, so even if you have no plans to travel with your pets, it’s still good to get them used to a crate or carrier. If your pets are familiar with their carrier, you may have less trouble getting them into it and with less anxiety for them.

Also, consider having your pets microchipped. A microchip is a small implant that’s injected under the skin and provides pets with a permanent identification that can’t fall off, be removed, or become impossible to read. A veterinary clinic or animal shelter can then scan and trace the pet to owner. But keep contact information on the pet’s microchip up to date.

When evacuating, carry a week's food supply and water for your pets; take along pet’s medication and photos just in case you are separated. Assemble this into a disaster kit that you can grab as you leave. If you are trapped away from home due to an emergency, have a neighbour or nearby friend take care of them during a crisis.

Source: United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA)

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