Pet & Family Emergency Checklist
When an emergency happens, you may not have time to gather everything you need.
Whether you're preparing for a typhoon, flood, power outage, earthquake, or another unexpected situation, having an emergency kit ready can help you protect the entire household, including your pets.
Use this checklist to prepare before an emergency happens.
Your Pet's Emergency Kit
Food & Water
☐ Enough pet food for several days
☐ Clean drinking water
☐ Food and water bowls
☐ Manual can opener, if needed
☐ Treats or familiar food
💡 The Paw Post Tip: Clean, lightweight containers can work in place of special travel bowls. Keep food sealed and protected from water.
Identification & Important Records
☐ Collar with updated ID tag
☐ Microchip information, if applicable
☐ Recent photo of your pet
☐ Veterinary records
☐ Vaccination records
☐ Your veterinarian's contact information
☐ Medication and prescriptions
A photo of you together can help establish ownership if you and your pet become separated. If a permanent identification tag is not yet available, attach a clearly written temporary label to your pet’s collar or carrier.
💡 The Paw Post Tip: Keep physical copies of important records in a waterproof pouch. Save digital copies on your phone or secure cloud storage as a backup.
Leashes, Carriers & Safety
☐ Leash
☐ Harness
☐ Spare collar
☐ Secure carrier
☐ Extra leash or backup restraint
☐ Towels or blankets
☐ Familiar comfort item or toy
Label each carrier with your pet’s name and your contact information. Keep carriers somewhere easy to reach, not buried inside a cabinet or storage room.
If you have several pets, make sure you have a safe and realistic way to transport all of them. You may need help from another household member, neighbor, friend, or relative.
Cleaning & First Aid
☐ Waste bags
☐ Cat litter or newspaper
☐ Pet-safe cleaning supplies
☐ Basic pet first-aid supplies
☐ Disposable gloves
☐ Towels
☐ Waterproof bags for waste or soiled items
Some everyday items can serve more than one purpose. A familiar towel, for example, can provide comfort, warmth, or temporary bedding without requiring another specialized purchase.
If your pet has a medical condition, ask your veterinarian which supplies should be prioritized. Avoid giving medication or attempting unfamiliar first-aid procedures without professional guidance.
Your Household Emergency Kit
Your pets are part of the household—but don’t forget to prepare for yourself, too. After all, their safety also depends on you being ready.
As with your pet’s supplies, begin with what your household needs most. You can use a sturdy bag or clean container that you already own, provided it is portable and protects the contents.
Food & Water
☐ Drinking water
☐ Ready-to-eat food
☐ Manual can opener
☐ Basic utensils
Consider the dietary, medical, and accessibility needs of every person in the household when deciding what food and water to store.
Light and Communication
☐ Flashlights
☐ Headlamps
☐ Extra batteries
☐ Fully charged power banks
☐ Fully charged mobile phones
☐ Battery-powered or hand-crank radio, if available
☐ Whistle
A radio can be useful when mobile data, electricity, or internet access is unavailable. However, it does not have to be your first purchase if you already have other reliable ways to receive official advisories.
Health & Personal Needs
☐ First-aid kit
☐ Essential medications
☐ Hygiene supplies
☐ Masks, if needed
☐ Extra clothes
☐ Basic toiletries
Add supplies for children, older adults, pregnant family members, persons with disabilities, or anyone with specific health needs.
Important Documents & Money
☐ Government IDs
☐ Important medical information
☐ Insurance documents
☐ Emergency contact list
☐ Cash
☐ Copies of important documents
Store documents and cash in waterproof pouches or resealable plastic bags. Digital copies are helpful, but do not rely on them alone because your phone or internet connection may become unavailable.
Your Evacuation Plan
An emergency kit is only one part of being prepared. Know what you will do if you need to leave your home.
Before an Emergency
☐ Know your area's common flood or hazard risks
☐ Identify your nearest evacuation center
☐ Save your local CDRRMO/MDRRMO contact
☐ Identify pet-friendly evacuation options
☐ Identify a veterinary clinic you can contact
☐ Identify a friend or family member who can help with your pets
☐ Know at least one evacuation route
☐ Have transportation arrangements for all pets
☐ Keep your emergency bags somewhere accessible
If You Need to Evacuate
☐ Check official weather and disaster advisories
☐ Follow evacuation orders from local authorities
☐ Secure your pets before leaving
☐ Put cats and smaller pets in carriers
☐ Keep dogs on a leash or harness
☐ Bring pet food, water, medication, and records
☐ Bring your household emergency kit
☐ Confirm where you are going
☐ Leave early if authorities advise evacuation
Never leave a pet behind because you assume you will be able to return.
Make an Emergency Plan for Your Pets
Every pet is different, so your emergency plan should account for their individual needs.
Think about:
Where do they hide when frightened?
Knowing your pet's preferred hiding place can make it easier to find them during a stressful situation.Can you transport them safely?
Practice getting your pets into their carriers or securing them with their harnesses before an emergency.Do they take medication?
Keep medications together with your emergency supplies and ask your veterinarian about additional preparations.Do they have special needs?
Pets that are elderly, very young, pregnant, disabled, or dependent on medical equipment may need additional planning.What happens if you are not home?
Identify someone you trust who can check on or evacuate your pets if you cannot get home.
Keep Your Emergency Kit Ready
An emergency kit only helps if you can find it when you need it.
Store your supplies somewhere that is:
Easy to access
Protected from water
Away from extreme heat
Known to everyone in the household
Check your supplies regularly.
Replace expired medications, update veterinary records, refresh food and water, replace dead batteries, and make sure your pet's identification information is still current.
A few minutes of preparation now can make a stressful emergency much easier to manage later.
Save These Emergency Contacts
Keep these numbers written down as well as saved on your phone:
☐ 911 — Unified Emergency Hotline
☐ Local CDRRMO/MDRRMO
☐ Nearest evacuation center
☐ Nearest veterinary clinic
☐ Your veterinarian
☐ Local animal rescue or welfare organization
☐ Family or emergency contact
For official weather information in the Philippines, check PAGASA before and during severe weather.
Remember: Your emergency plan should protect the whole household.
Prepare for yourself. Prepare for your pets. Prepare before you need to.