Pet Emergency Kit Checklist: What to Pack for Dogs and Cats
A pet emergency kit helps you care for dogs and cats during evacuations, storms, power outages, travel delays, and unexpected household emergencies.
Why Pets Need Their Own Emergency Kit
Pets depend on you during emergencies. If you need to evacuate, shelter in place, travel unexpectedly, or stay away from home, your dog or cat will need food, water, medication, records, comfort items, and safe transport.
A pet emergency kit keeps those supplies together so you are not searching for food, leashes, carriers, or vaccination records during stress.
1. Pet Food
Keep extra food your pet already eats. Sudden food changes can upset a pet’s stomach, especially during stressful situations.
- Dry food or canned food
- Enough food for at least 3 days
- Manual can opener if needed
- Food stored in a sealed container
- Rotation schedule so food does not expire
2. Pet Water
Your emergency water plan should include pets. Dogs and cats need safe drinking water just like people do.
- Extra bottled water
- Collapsible water container
- Portable bowl
- Water rotation plan
- Extra water for hot weather
Collapsible Water Container
Helpful for storing or carrying extra water for your household and pets.
View Water ContainerPortable Water Filter
A backup option if stored water becomes limited or uncertain.
View Water Filter3. Leash, Harness, or Carrier
During an emergency, pets may panic or try to escape. Keep transport and control items ready before you need them.
- Dog leash
- Harness if used
- Cat carrier
- Pet crate if appropriate
- Backup collar with ID tag
4. Pet Medications and Medical Needs
If your pet takes medication, include it in your emergency plan. Keep instructions written down clearly.
- Pet medications
- Dosing instructions
- Veterinarian contact information
- Medical condition notes
- Allergy information
- Extra prescription copy if available
5. Vaccination and Identification Records
Some shelters, hotels, boarding facilities, and emergency services may ask for pet records. Keep copies with your important documents.
- Vaccination records
- Microchip number
- Recent pet photo
- License information if applicable
- Veterinarian records
- Emergency contact for pet care
Waterproof Document Pouch
Protect pet records, vaccination copies, emergency contacts, and identification documents.
View Document Pouch6. Sanitation Supplies
Pet waste can become a serious issue during evacuations, apartment emergencies, or shelter-in-place situations.
- Waste bags
- Cat litter
- Disposable litter tray if needed
- Paper towels
- Disinfecting wipes
- Heavy-duty trash bags
Heavy-Duty Trash Bags
Useful for pet waste, cleanup, emergency storage, and sanitation.
View Trash Bags7. Comfort Items
Emergencies are stressful for animals. Familiar smells and objects can help pets stay calmer.
- Small blanket
- Favorite toy
- Chew item or treat
- Familiar towel
- Comfort item that fits in a bag
8. Pet First Aid Basics
A regular household first aid kit can help with basic supplies, but pet-specific needs should be discussed with your veterinarian.
- Gauze
- Medical tape
- Gloves
- Antiseptic wipes
- Tick remover if appropriate
- Medication instructions
First Aid Kit
A basic first aid kit is useful for both household and pet-related emergencies.
View First Aid Kit9. Pet Evacuation Plan
Your pet emergency kit should be paired with a written plan. Know where you can take your pet before an evacuation happens.
- Pet-friendly hotels
- Family or friends who accept pets
- Boarding facility options
- Veterinarian emergency clinic
- Pet-friendly evacuation route
- Backup caregiver
10. Where to Store a Pet Emergency Kit
Store pet emergency supplies somewhere easy to reach. If you have multiple pets, label each pet’s supplies clearly.
- Near the main emergency kit
- Near the pet carrier
- Inside an emergency backpack
- In a labeled storage bin
- Near the exit if evacuation is likely
Emergency Backpack
Useful for organizing grab-and-go pet and household emergency supplies.
View Emergency BackpackWaterproof Labels
Helpful for labeling pet supplies, medication dates, food rotation, and emergency bins.
View Waterproof LabelsPet Emergency Kit Checklist
- Pet food
- Pet water
- Food and water bowls
- Leash or harness
- Carrier or crate
- Pet medications
- Veterinarian contact information
- Vaccination records
- Microchip information
- Recent pet photo
- Waste bags or litter supplies
- Heavy-duty trash bags
- Comfort item
- Pet first aid supplies
- Backup caregiver information
Printable Pet Emergency Kit Checklist
Print this checklist and use it to build or review your emergency kit for dogs and cats.
- ☐ Pet food
- ☐ Pet water
- ☐ Food bowl
- ☐ Water bowl
- ☐ Manual can opener if needed
- ☐ Leash
- ☐ Harness if used
- ☐ Collar with ID tag
- ☐ Pet carrier or crate
- ☐ Pet medications
- ☐ Medication instructions
- ☐ Veterinarian contact information
- ☐ Emergency vet contact
- ☐ Vaccination records
- ☐ Microchip number
- ☐ Recent pet photo
- ☐ License information if applicable
- ☐ Waterproof document pouch
- ☐ Waste bags
- ☐ Cat litter if needed
- ☐ Disposable litter tray if needed
- ☐ Paper towels
- ☐ Heavy-duty trash bags
- ☐ Small blanket
- ☐ Favorite toy or comfort item
- ☐ Pet treats
- ☐ Pet first aid supplies
- ☐ Backup caregiver information
- ☐ Pet-friendly hotel or shelter list
- ☐ Emergency backpack or labeled bin
Related Preparedness Guides
Final Takeaway
A pet emergency kit helps you protect dogs and cats when normal routines are disrupted. Start with food, water, medications, records, sanitation supplies, transport items, and comfort items.
Keep everything organized, rotate food and medications regularly, and make sure your household knows where pet emergency supplies are stored.