How to prepare your pet for an emergency

Emergencies can happen when we least expect them, which can be especially worrying for pet owners responsible for their pets’ safety and wellbeing. Ensuring that your pet stays safe during events like floods, bushfires, or storms requires careful preparation.

The good news is that with a clear plan and the right supplies, you can act quickly and confidently when your pets need you the most.

In this guide, we’ll explain why emergency planning matters, how to create a pet emergency plan, what to include in a pet emergency kit, how to evacuate your pet safely, and what to do if evacuation isn’t possible.

Table of contents

• Why you need a pet emergency plan
• How practising your emergency plan can help your pet
• Creating a pet emergency kit
• Evacuating your pet safely during an emergency
• Helping protect your pet during an emergency

Why you need a pet emergency plan

Having a pet emergency plan can make a significant difference during unexpected emergencies and extreme weather events. Situations such as bushfires, floods, cyclones, storms, and heatwaves can escalate quickly, leaving little time to make decisions under pressure.

A clear pet emergency plan helps ensure every member of your household knows what to do, where to go, and how to transport your pets safely. It can also help you respond more quickly and calmly when every second counts. Planning ahead and practising your emergency plan can help your pet feel more comfortable with the process, making an evacuation less stressful for both of you.

Ideally, your pet emergency plan should include:

• The types of emergencies most likely to affect your area
• How you’ll stay informed through emergency alerts and warnings
• Different responses for different emergency situations, as your actions may vary depending on the type and severity of the event
• Where you’ll go if you need to evacuate with your pets
• Pet-friendly accommodation, boarding facilities, or family and friends who may be able to help during an emergency
• Emergency and backup contact details, including your vet and an alternative carer
• Evacuation routes and transport arrangements for each pet
• How you’ll safely contain and transport your pets
• Responsibilities for each household member during an evacuation
• Any special arrangements for pets with medical, behavioural, or mobility needs

It’s also important to ensure that your pets can be easily identified. Keep your pet’s microchip details up to date and ensure that they wear a collar with current identification tags, as this can make reunification easier if you become separated during an emergency.

Once your emergency plan is in place, it’s important to practise it regularly so your household and your pets know what to expect during an emergency.

How practising your emergency plan can help your pet

Practising your emergency survival plan is an important part of being prepared for unexpected emergencies.

Running through your plan in advance can help you:

• Identify any gaps in your preparations
• Refine and improve your approach
• Reduce panic or confusion during a real emergency
• Help your pet become more familiar and comfortable with evacuation procedures
• Help identify gaps in your pet’s training and implement strategies to better prepare them for emergencies
• Make evacuations quicker, safer, and less stressful for both you and your pet

Your pet emergency plan should also form part of your broader household emergency or bushfire survival plan, so everyone in the home understands their role and responsibilities before a real emergency occurs.

Creating a pet emergency kit

Preparing a pet emergency kit in advance can help you respond quickly if you need to evacuate without warning. Ideally, your pet’s kit should be stored in a waterproof container, kept up to date, and placed somewhere easy to access. Make sure your pet emergency kits are easy to grab in a hurry and that everyone in your household, including your emergency contact, knows where they’re located.

Helpful resources

To help you prepare for an emergency, the RSPCA has put together the following printable resources:

• Emergency Animal Preparedness Plan: helps you document important information and plan for different emergency situations
• Emergency Animal Authorisation Form: allows you to authorise someone else to care for or evacuate your pets if you’re unable to do so
• Animals Inside Card: alerts emergency responders to the presence of animals on your property

Download, complete and store these documents in an easily accessible location so they’re ready when you need them.

What to include in your pet emergency kit

Your pet emergency kit should contain:

• Printed copies of your emergency plan, including arrangements for different emergency situations
• Several days’ supply of pet food and clean drinking water (ideally 7–10 days)
• Food and water bowls
• Medications (ideally a 7–10-day supply) and copies of prescriptions
• Vaccination certificates and medical records
• Contact details for you, your vet, an emergency vet clinic, local animal shelter, local council, and alternative animal accommodation facilities
• Recent photographs of your pet, including photos of you together to help confirm ownership if you become separated
• Proof of ownership
• Suitable cages, carriers or crates to transport each pet safely and comfortably
• A leash and harness for each dog, and a muzzle if needed
• Bedding, blankets, and familiar toys to help keep your pet comfortable
• Waste disposal supplies such as litter, litter trays, and poo bags
• Pet insurance information
• A basic pet first aid kit
• Useful cleaning supplies such as paper towels, newspapers, gloves, and pet-friendly disinfectants

It may also be helpful to prepare two separate kits:

• A portable evacuation kit containing essential supplies if you need to leave quickly
• A larger home survival kit with extra supplies in case you need to remain at home for several days without access to services such as electricity, water, or refrigeration

It’s important to check and update your emergency kit regularly. Replace expired food, water, and medications, and review important documents to ensure all details remain up to date.

Evacuating your pet safely during an emergency

Once an emergency occurs, your focus shifts from planning to acting quickly and safely. If evacuation is necessary, it’s important to leave as early as possible, particularly during fast-moving disasters such as bushfires or flooding, where delays can increase risks to both people and animals.

If dangerous weather or emergency warnings are issued, bring pets indoors early so they’re easy to locate and transport when needed. Staying calm and following your emergency plan can also help reduce stress for both you and your pet during the evacuation process.

When evacuating:

• Follow your emergency plan
• Use secure carriers, crates, or restraints suitable for your pet
• Keep dogs on leads and cats in carriers
• Make sure identification tags are securely attached
• Bring your pet emergency kit with you
• Confirm that your planned evacuation destination or accommodation can accommodate both you and your pets
• Stay calm and reassure your pet

If you must leave your pets behind

Pets should never be abandoned unless it’s absolutely impossible to evacuate them safely. If there’s any risk of needing to leave your property, it’s best to evacuate your pets early before conditions become too dangerous.

However, in situations where you’re forced to leave pets behind, there are steps you can take to help improve their safety and chances of survival.

Never tether or tie up your pets, as they may be unable to escape from danger if conditions worsen rapidly. Instead, ensure they have access to safe shelter, food, and water.

If you must leave your pets at home or on your property:

• Provide at least one week’s supply of food and water in multiple locations using containers that can’t easily tip over
• Leave dry food where possible, as canned or fresh food may spoil
• Ensure your pets are properly identified with a collar, ID tag, and up-to-date microchip details
• Leave a clearly visible note on your front door or letterbox with your contact information, the number and type of animals on the property, their names, and recent photographs where possible

Different emergencies may also require different safety measures:

• During floods, ensure pets can access higher ground or elevated shelter areas with food and water available
• During severe storms or cyclones, place pets in secure covered areas such as a sturdy shed, barn, or covered enclosure
• During bushfires, move animals to low-risk areas with minimal vegetation, such as closely grazed or cleared paddocks, and avoid using synthetic blankets or coats that may melt or burn

If pets remain outdoors, ensure they have access to drinking water from sources that don’t rely on electricity or above-ground pipes, as utilities may fail during emergencies.

While leaving pets behind should always be a last resort, careful planning can help reduce the likelihood of facing this situation.

How pet insurance can help during emergencies and natural disasters

Natural disasters can be stressful and unpredictable, but taking the time to prepare can help keep your pets safe and give you greater peace of mind. By creating a pet emergency plan, packing a pet emergency kit and knowing how you’ll respond in different situations, you’ll be better equipped to act quickly when it matters most.

While no one can predict the unexpected, having pet insurance may help ease some of the financial pressure that can arise during an emergency. Depending on your level of cover and the circumstances involved, RSPCA Pet Insurance may help with vet treatment costs for unexpected injuries or illnesses, as well as emergency boarding expenses, subject to the terms and conditions of your policy.

At RSPCA Pet Insurance, we’re passionate about helping pets live well and be well. That’s why we’re committed to helping pet parents prepare for life’s unexpected moments, so they can focus on caring for their pets.

To learn more about how RSPCA Pet Insurance could support you and your cat, click here. Or, if you’re ready to take the next step, you can fetch a commitment-free pet insurance quote online.

Disclaimer

As with any insurance, terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Please read the Product Disclosure Statement to make sure this cover suits your needs.

 

References 

[1] RSPCA Australia. What preparations should I make for my pets in case of an emergency? RSPCA Knowledgebase. Available from: https://kb.rspca.org.au/categories/companion-animals/pet-ownership/what-preparations-should-i-make-for-my-pets-in-case-of-an-emergency

[2] RSPCA Australia. What should I consider if I need to evacuate my animal in a natural disaster? RSPCA Knowledgebase. Available from: https://kb.rspca.org.au/categories/companion-animals/pet-ownership/what-should-i-consider-if-i-need-to-evacuate-my-animal-in-a-natural-disaster

[3] RSPCA Australia. How can climate change affect animal welfare? RSPCA Knowledgebase. Available from: https://kb.rspca.org.au/categories/about-animal-welfare/how-can-climate-change-affect-animal-welfare