How do I prepare my pet for an emergency?

Short answer. Pack each animal's food, water, bowls, medication, ID, records, leash and carrier. Canada asks for at least 72 hours of food and water: about 4 litres of water a day per average dog, 1 litre per average cat ⁴. The U.S. CDC recommends a 2-week supply of food, water and medication ³. Plan where your pet will stay, because most public shelters accept only service animals ²⁴.

Why do pets need their own emergency plan?

Most household emergency lists are written for people. Animals need their own food, water, medicine and paperwork, and they often cannot follow you everywhere you go. Ready.gov warns that "many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets inside" ¹, and Canada notes that "most evacuation shelters will only accept service animals" ⁴. If you have not chosen a place for your animal before an emergency, you may have to make that choice under pressure.

Official advice is consistent on one point: the best option is to keep your pet with you ⁴. Ready.gov says to take your pets with you when you evacuate, while understanding that only service animals may be allowed in public shelters ².

What goes in a pet emergency kit?

The core lists from the United States and Canada overlap closely. Combined, they cover:

• Food in an airtight, waterproof container ¹³, plus a manual can opener if you use tins ³⁴.
• Water and a water bowl ¹. The CDC specifies non-spill food and water dishes ³.
• Medication the animal takes regularly ¹, with written dosage and your veterinarian's contact details ⁴. The CDC adds a 1-month supply of flea, tick and heartworm preventative ³.
• A pet first aid kit ¹³⁴. Ready.gov suggests asking your veterinarian what to put in it ¹.
• Collar with ID tag, harness or leash, plus a backup set ¹.
• A carrier, crate or travelling bag, "ideally one for each pet" ¹, of an appropriate size, with bedding or a towel ³.
• Sanitation supplies: litter and a litter box for cats, newspapers, paper towels, plastic bags and disinfectant ¹³.
• Familiar items such as toys, treats or bedding, which can reduce stress ¹⁴.
• A pet file (see below).

Ready.gov recommends two kits: a larger one for sheltering in place at home and a lightweight one you can carry if you evacuate ¹.

How much food and water does a pet need?

This is where agencies differ most. Ready.gov asks for "several days' supply" of food and water without a fixed number ¹. Canada sets a minimum of 72 hours ⁴. Alberta asks for 7 to 14 days of food and water ⁵. The CDC asks for 2 weeks ³.

Only Canada gives a daily water figure: about 4 litres a day for an average dog and 1 litre a day for an average cat ⁴. These are averages, so ask your veterinarian for your animal's figure.

Applying Canada's daily figures ⁴ to each duration gives a rough storage target per animal:

These are arithmetic on Canada's averages, not separate official figures. Canada lists this water in the pet kit itself ⁴, so count it on top of what you store for people.

What documents should be in a pet file?

The CDC lists photocopies of veterinary records (rabies certificate, vaccinations, medical summary, prescriptions), proof of ownership or adoption, a written description of each animal (breed, sex, colour, weight), recent photographs, microchip details including the chip number and the microchip company's contact, and your own contact information, all kept in a waterproof container ³. Canada adds emergency contacts and copies of licences and training centre information ⁴.

A photo of you with your pet helps prove ownership if you are separated ¹.

How do I make sure my pet can be identified?

Canada advises that animals wear identification "at all times" and suggests considering a microchip ⁴. Ready.gov says to have your pet microchipped, to keep the address and phone number registered with the chip up to date, and to list an emergency contact outside your immediate area ¹.

Where can my pet stay if we have to leave home?

Arrange this in advance. Canada lists hotels that accept animals in emergencies, boarding centres, animal shelters, animal clinics, and friends or family as options to identify ahead of time ⁴. Ready.gov advises identifying a place to stay that will accept pets before you need to evacuate ².

In the United States, federal law allows disaster assistance to cover "rescue, care, shelter, and essential needs" for individuals with household pets and service animals, and for the animals themselves ⁶. This provision was added in 2006 ⁶. It makes such support possible after a declared major disaster; it does not mean every shelter will take animals, which is why Ready.gov still advises finding a pet-friendly place in advance ².

How do I get my pet used to a carrier before an emergency?

Ready.gov suggests leaving the carrier open in places your pet often visits, feeding treats near or inside it, and adding a favourite blanket or small bed so it smells familiar ¹. It also suggests noting where your pets hide, so you can find them quickly if you have to leave ¹. Alberta also recommends practising sheltering in place with your pets in the locations you have chosen ⁵.

What should I do with pets when sheltering at home?

Keep animals indoors. Alberta advises not letting pets roam freely indoors during an emergency and, if a pet escapes, not chasing it, since that puts you and others at risk ⁵.

What official agencies recommend

• United States (Ready.gov / FEMA): two kits, "several days" of food and water, a carrier per pet, microchip, and a pre-identified pet-friendly place to stay ¹².
• United States (CDC): 2 weeks of food, water and medication; 1 month of parasite preventative; full veterinary paperwork ³.
• Canada (federal): at least 72 hours of food and water; about 4 L of water a day per average dog and 1 L per average cat; ID worn at all times; plan pet accommodation because most evacuation shelters accept only service animals ⁴.
• Alberta (provincial): 7 to 14 days of food and water and 14 days of medication; gather supplies for a minimum of 14 days; practise sheltering with pets ⁵.
• Germany (BBK): recommends household supplies for ideally ten days, at least three, and asks whether you have stocked supplies for pets you must care for, without giving a pet-specific amount ⁷.

The spread runs from about three days to two weeks. A practical reading is to keep the short figure in a grab bag and the longer one at home, matching Ready.gov's two-kit approach ¹.

Frequently asked questions

How much water does a dog need in an emergency?

Canada's guideline is about 4 litres a day for an average dog ⁴. For a 72-hour kit that is about 12 litres; for the CDC's 2-week recommendation ³, about 56 litres. This is an average, so confirm your dog's needs with your veterinarian.

How much water does a cat need in an emergency?

About 1 litre a day for an average cat, according to Canada ⁴. That is roughly 3 litres for 72 hours and 14 litres for two weeks.

Will an emergency shelter take my pet?

Often not. Ready.gov says most public shelters allow only service animals ², and Canada says most evacuation shelters will only accept service animals ⁴. Identify a pet-friendly hotel, boarding facility, clinic or friend's home in advance ⁴.

Are service animals allowed in shelters?

Yes. Both Ready.gov and Canada describe service animals as the exception to no-pet rules in public shelters ²⁴. Keep their records, licence copies and training information in the animal's file ⁴.

How long should a pet kit last?

Official figures range from at least 72 hours (Canada) ⁴ to 7 to 14 days (Alberta) ⁵ and 2 weeks (CDC) ³. Ready.gov suggests one lighter kit for evacuation and one larger kit for staying home ¹.

Get a kit matched to your country

Pet needs sit on top of your household's own supplies, and official durations differ by country. Your Phaenyx plan adds your animals' food, water and carrier to your household's list. Build your Phaenyx plan.

Sources

1. Ready.gov (FEMA) — Prepare Your Pets for Disasters — https://www.ready.gov/pets (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. Ready.gov (FEMA) — Evacuation — https://www.ready.gov/evacuation (accessed 2026-10-20)
3. CDC — Build a Pet Disaster Preparedness Kit — https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/emergency-preparedness/preparedness-kit.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
4. Government of Canada — Emergency preparedness for pets and service animals — https://www.canada.ca/en/services/policing/emergencies/preparedness/get-prepared/emergency-planning-resources/animals.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
5. Government of Alberta — Pet preparedness — https://www.alberta.ca/pet-preparedness (accessed 2026-10-20)
6. Legal Information Institute (Cornell) — 42 U.S. Code § 5170b, Essential assistance — https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/5170b (accessed 2026-10-20)
7. BBK (Germany) — Essen und Trinken bevorraten — https://www.bbk.bund.de/DE/Warnung-Vorsorge/Vorsorge/So-koennen-Sie-sich-vorbereiten/Bevorraten/bevorraten_node.html (accessed 2026-10-20)