Prepare Animals for Emergencies

In response to regional fires, prepare in advance to make sure your animals are supplied and have a place to go if you need to leave at a moment’s notice.

Pets

Livestock

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Current Regional Disaster Information


Domestic Pets

License & microchip your pets

If you and your pet are separated, having a license and a microchip are the best precautions to help others contact you in an emergency.

  • Make sure tags have current phone numbers.
  • License your pet with your local jurisdiction.
  • Microchip your pet with your local vet.
  • If your pet is microchipped, update your contact information with the microchip registry.

Prepare a 72 Hour Kit For Pets

In addition to clothing and emergency supplies you’re packing for yourself, be sure to pack enough supplies for your pet.

Remember to Pack:

  • Food
  • Bottled water
  • Any medication your pet may need
  • Treats
    • For dogs, something to chew on in a stressful environment. 
    • For cats, several cans of high-value wet food.
  • A favorite toy
  • A crate where your pet can be comfortably confined if needed in any environment you may be staying
  • Bedding- a bed, pad, or blanket
  • First aid & sanitation supplies
  • Collars and leashes
  • Proof of ownership - a copy of vet records, adoption or breeder documentation, licensing records, and photos of you and your pet together.

Plan where you can stay with your pets

Identify pet-friendly lodging in the area you plan to go in an emergency.

Emergency Shelters

  • If you plan to stay in an emergency shelter, find out what arrangements they may have for your pets before arriving.
    • Owners are expected to care for and spend time with their pets - shelter volunteers and attendants will not be able to care for them in your place.
    • Some regional Red Cross shelters have a designated, separate area where pets can stay. Many do not. These locations and their pet policies may change over the course of an emergency.
  • Most regional animal shelters will not have the capacity to provide emergency boarding for your pets in an evacuation.
  • In the event that emergency shelters for people aren’t able to accommodate pets, emergency personnel and regional shelters may establish a separate emergency shelter for pets.

Plan ahead with neighbors

Make arrangements with a trusted neighbor in advance to find and bring your pets to you, or provide temporary care in the event that you are away from your property during an evacuation.


Livestock

  • If you have livestock, you should evacuate during Level 2: Get Set
  • Make a plan with friends, family, or trusted associates who can help transport and shelter animals a safe distance away - if you choose a location that’s too close, you may need to move animals multiple times
  • Have feed, medication, bedding, rope/lariat, halters/leads, cleaning supplies, veterinary records and proof of ownership, and other supplies ready to go
  • Evacuation transport or emergency shelter support may be available regionally when evacuation orders are issued, but transport and shelter capacity is limited
  • Register your livestock to be reunited in the event that they’re lost
  • Use the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Lost & Found Service for Livestock

Additional resources for pet emergency preparedness

Tags
Alerts
Community Resources
Emergency Preparedness
Lost & Found Pets
Animals at an emergency shelter during the Eagle Creek Fire