If you had to leave home with your pet unexpectedly, would you have everything you needed? From wildfires and severe weather to other unexpected emergencies, having a plan in place can make a stressful situation easier to navigate.

Pet emergency preparedness isn't just about having extra food on hand. Knowing where your pet's records are, keeping identification current, having a safe carrier or crate, and gathering essential supplies ahead of time can help your entire family leave safely when every minute counts.

1. Keep Your Pet's Identification Current

Make sure your pet is microchipped and that the contact information associated with the microchip is current. Your pet should also have identification tags with an up-to-date phone number.

If you travel frequently or are preparing for an international move, double-checking your pet's microchip information is especially important, as microchip requirements can also play a role in international travel documentation.

2. Pack the Essentials

Your pet's emergency go-bag may include:

• Food and bottled water
• Food and water bowls
• Leash, collar, and harness
• Waste bags
• Necessary medications
• A familiar blanket or small comfort item
• Basic pet first-aid supplies
• An appropriate carrier or crate
• Veterinary records

The City of Arlington recommends keeping emergency supplies in a portable, waterproof container and maintaining about a week's supply of food and water.

3. Keep Important Pet Documents Together

Keep copies of important documents somewhere easily accessible, including vaccination records, rabies documentation, medication information, veterinary records, and recent photos of your pet.

For families preparing to move internationally, keep your travel-specific veterinary and import documents separate and easily accessible, rather than packed with your household belongings.

4. Make Sure Your Pet Has a Safe Carrier or Crate

In an evacuation, you may need to transport your pet with little notice. Having an appropriately sized carrier or crate available can make transportation safer and easier.

Planning an international move? Your everyday crate or emergency carrier may not meet airline requirements. See our Choosing the Right Pet Travel Kennel guide for international air travel requirements.

5. Have a Backup Plan

Know where you could go with your pet if you needed to leave home unexpectedly. Keep contact information for your veterinarian, an emergency veterinary clinic, pet-friendly accommodations, and a trusted person who could care for your pet if you weren't able to get home.

Quick WPT Tip

Don't pack your pet's emergency supplies and important records away during a move. Keep medications, identification, veterinary records, food, water, and other essentials somewhere you can access throughout your relocation.

Be Prepared Wherever Your Journey Takes You

Pet emergency preparedness can make an unexpected situation much easier to navigate. And if that journey takes your family overseas, World Pet Travel can help you prepare for your pet's international move from planning through arrival.