Skill · They come too
Pets in the plan
If the animal is family on a normal day, it is family on the worst day. Pack for them before you need to.
Federal steps in this chapter do not change by state. Local orders for Arizona come from Arizona Department of Emergency Management.
5 min read · Updated October 2026
What Ready.gov wants in a pet kit
Ready.gov’s pet page asks for food, water, medicines, a carrier or crate, a leash, a photo of you with the pet in case you are separated, vaccination records, and a contact for a vet and a backup caretaker. Put ID on the collar and keep a microchip current. Many human shelters cannot take animals. Decide the kennel, the friend, or the pet-friendly hotel before a wildfire day.
- Practice putting the pet in the carrier on a boring afternoon.
- Heat and parked cars kill animals. The same rule as for children.
- Store pet food where it stays cool and dry, and rotate it.
- A printed feeding and medicine note so a neighbor can take over.
- Never leave a pet tied outside in a storm, a freeze, or a heat warning.
How to
Ready.gov’s pet page asks for food, water, medicines, a carrier or crate, a leash, a photo of you with the pet, vaccination records, and a contact for a vet and a backup caretaker. Many human shelters cannot take animals.
Step 1. Pack food and water
Step 2. Add meds and records
Step 3. Carrier and leash
Practice on a boring afternoon
Step 4. Photo with you
In case you are separated
Step 5. Name a caretaker
Kennel, friend, or pet-friendly hotel
Never leave a pet tied outside in a storm, a freeze, or a heat warning. Heat and parked cars kill animals.
Checklist
Checks stay in this browser.
Sources
Public pages this chapter leans on. They win if anything here is out of date.
- Ready.gov — Pets
National pet kit and shelter notes
- American Red Cross — Pet preparedness
Companion checklist
- CDC — Extreme heat
Heat risk for people and the reminder to protect animals in your care