The #1 Reason Pets Are Left Behind During Disasters—And How to Avoid It
Like humans, pets can also lose their homes and their families to natural disasters. According to a 2021 survey from the ASPCA, “more than 1 in 5 [American] pet owners have evacuated their homes due to a natural disaster or emergency and nearly half left at least one pet behind when they evacuated.”
The same survey found that around 83% of American pet owners are at risk of a natural disaster, but fewer than half have a pet evacuation preparedness plan.

Lack of preparation dramatically reduces your chances of evacuating from a natural disaster with all of your family members—pets included. Your plan doesn’t need to be complicated or extensive, but having the basics nailed down well ahead of an emergency makes all the difference.
We hope you never have to use this, but in the spirit of keeping yourself and your pets safe, here’s how to create an emergency evacuation plan if you have pets.
Why Do Pets Get Left Behind During Disasters?
The number one reason pets get left behind during disasters is lack of preparation. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, an estimated 100,000–250,000 pets were stranded, centering a spotlight on the need for disaster preparedness plans that include animal evacuation.

30% of pet owners who have left a pet behind in a natural disaster say they simply didn’t have time to prepare. No one wants to think about losing their home or pets, but taking some time to create a plan and assemble supplies can ease a small part of the inherent tragedy of experiencing a natural disaster.
Lack of preparation not only forces people to leave pets behind but it can also result in your pet getting lost. If you aren’t prepared to evacuate, natural disasters can strike so quickly that your pet can get lost in the shuffle. Natural disasters are scary, and dogs instinctively run and hide from scary or dangerous things. Again, preparation can keep your pet safe and in your care.
What Happens To Pets Abandoned After Natural Disasters?
Sadly, many abandoned or lost pets lost their lives to natural disasters. Those who survive are occasionally found by their families, but most will be rescued by local volunteer groups and welfare organizations.
“When a hurricane, wildfire, tornado, or other disaster forces local shelters to close or evacuate, temporary pop-ups run by rescue organizations—and often housed in large parking lots or evacuated department stores—typically become the sole resource for pet owners needing to temporarily surrender their pets, for strays caught running for their lives, and for homeless shelter animals,” says the Sierra Club.

Tasked with rescuing terrified and often injured pets, rescuers bring abandoned dogs and cats—among other animals—to temporary safe housing in the area if possible, but they are often evacuated to other areas not rebuilding from disaster. Following Hurricane Katrina, an estimated 15%—20% of rescued pets were reunited with their owners. Pets that are not microchipped may be adopted out to other families, transferred to other shelters, or euthanized.
Pet Disaster Preparedness & How To Safely Evacuate With Pets
Whether preparing for hurricane evacuation with pets, wildfire evacuation with pets, or any other pet emergency evacuation you need a plan. Preparing yourself for the possibility of an evacuation will help protect you and your pets, and safeguard you against the genuine risk to pet safety during disasters.
An animal evacuation plan should include creating a concrete evacuation route (e.g. mapping driving routes, working with local evacuation teams), assembling supplies, and locating pet-friendly emergency shelters if you don’t already have friends, family, or access to private shelter/housing.
Remember that while the basics of how to evacuate dogs apply in part to other pets, but cats, reptiles, and other small animals will have other specific needs in an emergency.

What To Put In An Evacuation Kit for Pets
A pet evacuation kit should include basic supplies—like food and medications if needed—and pet emergency supplies like a first aid kit. Some key items to include in your dog’s evacuation kit include:
- At least one week’s worth of food and clean water in a refillable container
- Food & water bowls; save room by choosing collapsable bowls or lightweight plastic containers
- One month’s supply of medications if applicable
- Poop bags
- A copy of veterinary records; ideally both a physical copy and a digital copy
- Pet first aid kit
- An extra collar and leash
- A recent photo of you and your pet in case you are separated and need to reclaim your pet
Identification & Pet Management Tools
Proper pet identification during evacuations can help prevent your dog from getting lost, and help your dog find their way back to you if you are unfortunately separated. In addition to ID tags with your up-to-date contact information, you might also consider a GPS collar as an extra precaution.
You should also have a crate labeled with your dog’s information and your contact information. Evacuation can be scary, and your dog might not walk calmly or safely on a leash. Having a crate to safely contain them significantly reduces the risk of them getting loose and lost.
Some professionals also recommend attaching to your dog in multiple places. For example, you could put both a collar and a harness on your dog, then use two leashes. Hold the one attached to their collar in your hand, and attach the one connected to your dog’s harness to your backpack. If the collar breaks or they slip their lead, you’ll still have one point of connection to stop them from dashing off.
Veterinarian Recommendations for Evacuation
Veterinarians will always recommend pet microchipping for emergencies since it’s not uncommon to be separated from pets during a disaster. Having your dog microchipped will help you be reunited with them, and tell rescuers who the dog belongs to.
Vets can also give you recommendations for managing pet anxiety during evacuation. Natural supplements and prescribed anti-anxiety or sedative medications can help your dog stay calm and keep them safe during an evacuation. Your vet can tell you which are safe, and recommend specific options based on your dog’s particular needs.
Consider also speaking with your veterinarian about resources for pet first aid during disasters. They may be able to point you to veterinary groups, non-profits, and other emergency services in the area you plan to evacuate to.
Finding Pet-Friendly Emergency Shelters
Research emergency shelter policies in the area you will evacuate to. Many public shelters do not allow pets, so you may need to find secondary shelters or opt for a hotel/motel. Anticipate the possibility of not being able to find a safe shelter for yourself and your dog, and create a plan for leaving your dog at a kennel/boarding facility or with friends/family members.
Ideally, you will find a shelter that accepts pets, but having a backup plan will keep both you and your pet safe once you reach your destination after evacuating home.