Blog Post

As a pet owner, you likely know a lot about keeping your pet safe on a day-to-day basis. But are you prepared if a larger disaster strikes? When flooding, wildfires, or other events force you to evacuate, you’ll likely take your pet. Make sure that you have an evacuation kit ready for your pet by the time that law enforcement advises you to leave your home. 

In Colorado, wildfires are showing to be larger and more frequent in recent years (take a look at this CPR article). Although much of the advice that we are offering here is applicable to many situations, keep in mind that when writing this we are considering wildfire to be the primary cause for evacuation as of publication. 

Pet Evacuation Kit List:

*This list should be in-addition to your necessary human evacuation kit supplies, which include important documents, medications, and other items. Reference this page from CRFPD for more information.

Where to Go, and Where to Find Info

Check for evacuation maps and safe shelter areas at:

• Local Fire Department
• Local Sheriff’s Department
• Local News Sources
• Sign up for County Alerts (https://garco911.com/emergency-notification-system/)
• WatchDuty App (this can be downloaded on your phone, tablet, or accessed on the web at: https://app.watchduty.org/)
• Designated shelter areas, marked according to availability (humans only, people & pets, livestock, etc.)

Setting Up a Safe Space for Cats

• Provide them with a private area for their litter box
• Ensure they are kept somewhere which can be secured (cars should be a last resort due to heat concerns and so many moving doors/parts)

In cases of evacuation, you may want to set your cat up in temporary housing with a large or extra large dog crate. Our team recommends that in this course of action, up to two cats (on good terms with each other) can habituate together in an extra large dog crate. Be sure to replace the litter box area daily, and refill water often. This is a TEMPORARY solution, and is not recommended for long-term animal housing. 

Setting Up a Safe Space for Dogs

Dogs can be crated in the case of evacuation, but should be allowed to stretch their legs in a larger room as often as possible. Be sure to refill their water often, and take them outside for bathroom breaks or provide puppy pads if outside conditions are hazardous. This is a TEMPORARY solution, and is not recommended for long-term animal housing. 

Local Emergency Resources in Garfield County: