To evacuate with pets is the only humane option. Leaving your pet at home during an evacuation isn’t safe! Once you evacuate someone else is in control of when you can return home. Relying on someone else to save your pet can be heart-breaking!
During the historic 2003 and 2007 San Diego county wildfires I received reverse 911 evacuation calls. I didn’t evacuate because I didn’t have a horse trailer at the time. Our neighbor said he would come back for my horse. The highway patrol would not let him return!
Fortunately the fire stayed miles away from our property. Needless to say I purchased a used horse trailer a week later. Our neighbors were furious with officials because they would not allow them to return home for 3 days.
The Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS) requires states seeking Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance to accommodate pets and service animals in their plans for evacuating residents facing disaster.
This act of Congress doesn’t require States to include your pets in tax payer supported human evacuation shelters? State evacuation plans require you to leave your pets at some kind of animal shelter that your city or county has set-up. I don’t know about you but I won’t be leaving my dogs at some temporary animal evacuation site.
Please evacuate with pets if you must leave. Be prepared by knowing ahead of time what Hotels or RV parks in your area allow pets. One such wonderful resource is bringfido.com. You can search your area for pet friendly lodging and much more. I printed out a list and put it in my emergency backpack!