The Emergency Kit

You never think a disaster could happen to you, but the reality is that most of us will face a disaster or emergency in our lives, and we want to have a plan (and emergency kit) in place for our beloved pets as well.

So what goes into a pet emergency kit?

For humans, you want to have 72 hours of supplies in case of evacuation (think fire, hurricane, etc.), or 10 days of supplies for a shelter in place (think blizzard, tornado, etc.). You will want the same amount of supplies for your pets. If you get stranded without water or power, you want your household to be sustainable until utilities are restored or emergency crews can reach you. You will want your emergency kit to be in waterproof, portable containers.

Here is a partial list. Feel free to add your own twist to it!

• Extra leash, collar and ID tags
• Portable cat litter box, cat litter and scoop
• Travel carrier/kennel
• Towel
• Collapsible food and water bowls
• Food and water supply
• Treats
• Plastic utensils
• Can opener
• Extra supply of medications
• Pet first aid kit
• Dog or cat muzzle
• Heavy duty gloves
• Grooming wipes
• Bedding
• Toys
• Poop bags
• Paper towel
• Disinfectant
• Digital and paper copies of veterinary and immunization records
• Photo of you and your pets
• Emergency names and numbers

For more information on disaster preparedness for pets, including preparedness webinars and emergency forms, visit www.petpreparednessplus.com.

About the Author:

Jordan Di Marco is the founder of Pet Preparedness Plus, LLC in Boulder, CO. Disaster preparedness has been a passion for her for many years. She has undergone extensive training with FEMA, the Humane Society of the United States and Pet Sitters International. She hopes to encourage pet owners to plan and prepare before they need it!