How to Create an Emergency Plan for Your Pets

A pet emergency plan is a short set of decisions you make now so you are not making them during a bushfire, flood, storm, or cyclone. It covers how you contain your animal quickly, what you pack, where you can take them, and how you prove they are yours. A plan like this reduces the chance of panicked, last minute decisions: it keeps your pet contained early, gets the essentials into one bag, and gives you somewhere to go if official evacuation centres cannot take animals or are not suitable on the day. It only takes an afternoon to set up, and most of it is just organising things you already own.^{1, 2}

Why a pet emergency plan matters

Emergencies rarely arrive neatly. When the power is out, roads are blocked, or the air is thick with smoke, the small details start to matter: a carrier that is easy to grab, a lead that does not snap, medication packed and in date, and ID that still points to your current phone number. Sorting these out ahead of time is the whole point.

Emergency services may open evacuation centres, but animals are not always straightforward. Space is limited, rules vary between centres, and your pet's needs may not be met there. Planning for more than one shelter option is part of being ready.¹

Identify the risks where you live

Australia's hazards change by region and season. Bushfires, storms, floods, and cyclones each ask something different of you: sometimes you leave early, sometimes you shelter in place, sometimes you cannot return for days.

Use your state or territory emergency information to shape your plan, especially the likely evacuation routes and the kind of warning you might receive. In NSW, the SES recommends keeping a grab and go bag for animals and making sure you can contain them early, before conditions become chaotic.^{1, 3}

Build a grab and go kit for your pet

Pack for a short absence first, then expand if you have time. A practical baseline is enough supplies for several days, stored in a waterproof bag or tub you can lift in one go.^{2, 4}

• Food your pet already eats, plus a bowl. Sudden diet changes can cause stomach upset.
• Water and a way to offer it, whether a bowl or a bottle. Do not rely on taps being available.
• Medication with a current script or clear dosing instructions. Rotate supplies before they expire.
• Containment and handling: carrier or crate, lead, harness, and a muzzle if appropriate for your animal and situation.
• Hygiene: poo bags, litter and tray for cats, paper towel, and disinfectant wipes.
• Comfort items: a blanket or familiar bedding, useful for warmth and for settling your pet in unfamiliar spaces.
• Documents: vaccination records and any permits or special instructions, with a copy kept in the kit.³

Review the kit twice a year. Replace food, refresh water, and check medications and batteries.

Plan where your pet can go before you need to leave

A safe space at home

If staying home is safe and advised, choose a room where you can quickly contain your pet away from hazards. Remove toxic plants and loose cords, and keep the carrier, lead, and your pet's kit in the same spot so you are not searching during a warning.

Pet-friendly places to evacuate

Have at least two options ready:

• friends or family outside the risk area
• pet-friendly accommodation
• a boarding facility, noting they may require proof of vaccination⁵

If you may need to use an evacuation centre, do not assume animals can always be accommodated. Even when animals are supported, it may not suit every pet, particularly those that are anxious around crowds and noise.¹

Practise the parts that fail under stress

Animals often behave differently when the household is tense. They hide, bolt, or refuse to go into a carrier that has only ever appeared before a vet visit. Practise while everything is calm so the routine becomes familiar.³

• Teach and refresh basic cues like come and stay, using rewards and short sessions.
• Rehearse carrier time: open door, treats inside, brief closes, then longer ones.
• Do a car loading drill so you know what you can carry and in what order.

Create a pet evacuation plan you can follow quickly

Write it down and keep a copy in your kit and on your phone.

1. Triggers to leave: decide what leaving early means for your household, for example certain warning levels or local road closures.
2. How you will contain your pet fast: carrier ready, lead accessible, and pets brought inside early.³
3. Where you will go: primary and backup locations, plus the route.
4. What you will take: pet kit, your own emergency kit, documents, and chargers.²

If you are told to evacuate, follow official instructions and leave immediately. Take your emergency kit and enough supplies for several days where possible.²

Make identification the boring part, because it works

In an evacuation, pets can slip leads, push through doors, or bolt when the soundscape changes. Strong identification is what turns a found animal into a reunion rather than a mystery.

Microchipping and up-to-date details

Microchips do not help if your contact details cannot be accessed or are out of date. Check your pet's microchip record and make sure your phone number and address are current.⁶

In early 2025, the HomeSafeID microchip registry was reported to be ceasing online operation, and the RSPCA advised owners to confirm where their pet's microchip is registered and transfer registration if needed so details remain viewable when scanned.⁶

Visible ID

Use a collar with an ID tag, and label carriers too. NSW SES notes that visual identification helps, and also recommends keeping vaccination records in your pet emergency kit.³

When to get professional advice

If your pet has a chronic illness, is elderly, is reactive around other animals, or needs temperature-controlled medication, talk to your vet about an emergency plan that suits their specific risks. A few minutes of planning can prevent dangerous improvisation later.

Let people know you are safe, too

During major emergencies, the Australian Red Cross may activate Register.Find.Reunite, which helps people register themselves as safe and helps loved ones search for them. It can be accessed online and is also available at some evacuation and recovery centres when activated.⁷

References

1. NSW State Emergency Service (SES), Evacuation centres (including pets and livestock)
2. NSW Government, Be ready for an emergency evacuation
3. NSW SES, Plan for your household pets
4. NSW SES, Put together an emergency kit
5. NSW SES, Carers (includes advice about pet vaccination documentation for boarding)
6. RSPCA Queensland, Important update: Pet microchipping (HomeSafeID)
7. Australian Red Cross, About Register.Find.Reunite
8. RSPCA ACT, Ready To Go (pet emergency kit and planning advice)