Pets

Before

• Ready.gov: keep several days of the pet’s usual food in a waterproof container, and several days of water, plus a bowl.
• Keep the pet’s regular medicine in a waterproof container. Ask your veterinarian what belongs in a small first-aid kit.
• Collar, ID tag, leash or harness, and a spare. A carrier or crate for each pet.
• Photos of you with the pet, and copies of registration or vaccine papers, in a dry bag and on your phone.
• Ready.gov evacuation page: public shelters may allow only service animals. Find a pet-friendly place before a storm. The county emergency management page has a pet-readiness section.
• In heat, Ready.gov says outdoor pets need cool water and shade, and that dark pavement can burn paws.

During

• If you leave, take the pets. Do not leave them in a closed car (Ready.gov and the National Weather Service).
• If you stay, keep pets inside, away from floodwater and from a running generator.
• Use the carrier when you move. Familiar bedding or a toy can help (Ready.gov).
• Feed the usual food. Do not invent a new diet during the storm.

After

• Keep pets leashed or crated while you check the yard. Debris and displaced animals are easy to miss.
• Do not let them drink floodwater.
• If a pet may have breathed generator exhaust, get them into fresh air and call your veterinarian.
• Replace the food and medicine you used so the kit is full again.

Checklist

• ☐Usual food and water for several days
• ☐Medicines and a vet phone number on your private list
• ☐Carrier, leash, and ID tag
• ☐Photo together and vaccine papers
• ☐A pet-friendly place that is not a closed car

Sources

Official pages only. Open them for the full instructions.

• Ready.gov: Pets
• Ready.gov: Evacuation
• Ready.gov: Extreme heat
• National Weather Service: Heat safety
• St. Johns County Emergency Management
• American Red Cross: Hurricane preparedness