GovernmentUnited States
Prepare Your Pets for Disasters
Ready.gov (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
Official federal preparedness guidance for making a plan, assembling supplies, and preparing to evacuate with animals.
PawsinTrust™ Emergency Preparedness
Emergency & Disaster Resources
Emergencies can happen with little warning. Advance planning can help families keep important Family Animal information organized, identify caregivers, prepare essential supplies, and know where to turn when circumstances change quickly.
Resources last reviewed: August 14, 2026
During an Active Emergency
- Follow instructions from local emergency management authorities and first responders.
- If a person is in immediate danger, contact the appropriate local emergency service.
- If a Family Animal is experiencing a medical emergency, contact a veterinarian or emergency veterinary facility.
PawsinTrust™ does not provide emergency response, veterinary diagnosis or treatment, disaster response, or emergency dispatch services.
Family Animal Emergency Checklist
Prepare Before an Emergency
Keeping essential information and supplies organized before an emergency can make it easier to respond when circumstances become unexpected or time-sensitive.
This checklist is provided for reference. No account is required, and selections are not saved to any PawsinTrust™ record.
Independent Resources
External organizations and resources listed here are independent of PawsinTrust™ unless expressly stated otherwise. Inclusion is for informational purposes only and does not indicate affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement, partnership, approval, or recommendation of PawsinTrust™ by any listed organization.
External resources may change without notice.
Government Resources
Government Emergency & Disaster Resources
GovernmentUnited States
FEMA Disasters & Assistance
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Federal disaster declarations, assistance programs, and preparedness information for households affected by disasters.
Visit FEMA Disaster Resources — Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), opens in a new tab on an external website
Checked: August 14, 2026 — automated verification was blocked by this organization's website; manual review required.
Local Emergency Authorities
Evacuation orders, emergency shelters, road conditions, and other instructions vary by location and event. During an active emergency, consult current state and local emergency-management authorities.
Animal Disaster Resources
Animal Emergency & Disaster Resources
VeterinaryUnited States
Disaster Preparedness
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
Veterinary-profession guidance on preparing animals for disasters, including planning, supplies, and recovery considerations.
Disaster PreparednessUnited States
Pet Disaster Preparedness & Recovery
American Red Cross
Preparedness and recovery guidance for animals, including supply kits, evacuation considerations, and post-disaster steps.
Visit Official Resource — American Red Cross, opens in a new tab on an external website
Verified: August 14, 2026
Disaster PreparednessUnited States
Disaster Preparedness
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
Animal-welfare guidance on emergency kits, identification, caregiver arrangements, and evacuation planning for animals.
Animal Poison Resources
Animal Poison Resources
If you believe your Family Animal may have been exposed to a potentially harmful substance, contact a veterinarian or an appropriate animal poison resource promptly. PawsinTrust™ does not provide diagnosis or treatment instructions.
Animal PoisonUnited States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC)
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
An animal poison control service staffed by veterinary professionals for possible exposure to potentially harmful substances.
(888) 426-4435Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
The ASPCA states that a consultation fee may apply. Confirm the current fee with the service when you call.
Animal PoisonUnited States and Canada
Pet Poison Helpline (Animal Poison Control Center)
Pet Poison Helpline
An animal poison control service for suspected exposure to potentially harmful substances, staffed by veterinary toxicology professionals.
(855) 764-7661Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Pet Poison Helpline publishes an $89 per-incident fee. Confirm the current fee with the service when you call.
Visit Official Resource — Pet Poison Helpline, opens in a new tab on an external website
Verified: August 14, 2026
Evacuation Planning
Planning for Evacuation With Family Animals
Transportation
Plan how every Family Animal could be safely transported.
Identification
Keep identification, microchip information where applicable, and recent photographs accessible.
Destination Planning
Consider more than one possible destination because animal accommodations can vary by facility and emergency.
Essential Information
Keep veterinary, medication, caregiver, feeding, and other important care information accessible.
Follow Local Instructions
During an active emergency, follow current evacuation and safety instructions from appropriate authorities.
Large & Farm Animals
Large Animal & Farm Emergency Planning
Large animals and farm animals may require additional transportation, identification, shelter, equipment, caregiver, and evacuation planning.
Where appropriate, consider coordinating in advance with veterinarians, local emergency management, agricultural agencies, animal-care professionals, and transportation resources.
Large/Farm AnimalsUnited States
Disaster Preparedness for Large Animals
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
Guidance addressing the additional transportation, shelter, identification, and evacuation considerations involved with large animals.
Lost or Displaced
If a Family Animal Becomes Lost or Displaced
- Contact appropriate local animal-control and shelter resources.
- Contact the applicable microchip registry where relevant.
- Notify veterinary professionals where appropriate.
- Keep recent photographs and identifying information available.
- Follow official local disaster-reunification instructions when available.
Lost/Displaced AnimalsUnited States
Microchip Registry Lookup Tool
American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)
A lookup tool that can help identify which registry a microchip number is associated with, so the correct registry can be contacted.
Visit Official Resource — American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), opens in a new tab on an external website
Checked: August 14, 2026 — automated verification was blocked by this organization's website; manual review required.
Keep Important Information Ready Before It’s Needed
PawsinTrust™ helps families organize Family Animal information, emergency caregivers, veterinary information, care instructions, and continuity-of-care planning resources before an unexpected event occurs.
Emergency & Disaster Resource Disclaimer
PawsinTrust™ provides educational preparedness information and links to independent resources for general informational purposes only.
PawsinTrust™ is not an emergency service, veterinary practice, poison-control service, disaster-response organization, government agency, shelter, or rescue organization and does not provide emergency dispatch, veterinary diagnosis, veterinary treatment, evacuation services, or emergency placement.
During an active emergency, follow current instructions from appropriate government authorities, emergency responders, veterinarians, and other qualified professionals.
Resources last reviewed: August 14, 2026