The welfare of pets and livestock is an important issue during emergencies as it can influence the decision making of owners, potentially putting both themselves and the animal in danger.

Take a moment to consider what you need to do to keep your animals safe if an incident occurs. Do you have carriers or vehicles required to move them out of harm’s way? What would you need to look after them and could you access it quickly if you had to leave your home?

Top tips

• Include any essential pet items in your grab bag, such as food, a lead and vaccination records
• Ensure your animals are vaccinated. This is an essential requirement for many boarding centres
• Consider friends, neighbours and relatives. Could they look after your furry (or scaly) friends if you couldn’t?

See the following additional advice for:

• Pets
• Horse, Pony & Donkey
• Livestock

See also our Get Prepared page for more about preparing for emergencies at Home, in your Community and at Work.