In an emergency, your animals depend on you completely — they can't store their own food, fill their own water, or evacuate themselves. Yet pets and livestock are among the most commonly overlooked parts of a family's emergency plan, often forgotten until a storm is already bearing down. El Niño's floods, winter storms, and power outages affect animals just as they affect people, so build your pets and livestock into your preparations now, alongside the rest of the household. This is part of how to prepare for El Niño 2026.
Store two weeks of food and water
Stock at least two weeks of pet food and water, kept in sealed, waterproof containers to protect it from moisture and pests. Rotate it like your own supplies so it stays fresh. For water, plan roughly one ounce per pound of body weight per day — about a half-gallon daily for a 50-pound dog. Keeping extra water in your household supply, in a versatile container like the aqua-tainer, covers both people and animals from the same store. Don't forget any special-diet food or supplements your animals need.
Keep carriers, leashes, and crates ready
Have a properly sized carrier or crate for each pet and leashes staged near your exit. In a fast evacuation, you will not have time to coax a frightened cat out from under the bed or chase a panicked dog around the yard — animals hide and bolt when they sense danger. Carriers ready by the door, and the knowledge of where your pets like to hide, can make the difference between bringing them with you and leaving them behind.
Keep vaccination and identification records
Store copies of your animals' vaccination records and identification together with your own emergency documents, in a waterproof bag. Make sure collars with current ID tags are on, and that microchip registration information is up to date with your current contact details. Many emergency shelters and boarding facilities require proof of vaccination to accept an animal, and solid ID dramatically improves your chances of being reunited if you and your pet are separated.
Secure barns and shelters for livestock
For those with livestock, the stakes and the logistics are larger. Before storm season, reinforce barns and animal shelters against wind and flooding, secure feed and water supplies where they'll stay dry and accessible, and make a clear plan for how you'll move or protect animals during a flood or high wind. Identify higher ground in advance and know your routes, since moving livestock takes time and can't be improvised at the last minute. Ensure animals have identification too.
Build a pet first aid kit
A basic pet first aid kit handles the minor injuries that are common during the chaos of a storm or evacuation: gauze, adhesive tape, antiseptic, tweezers, a digital thermometer, and a pet first aid guide. Many of the supplies in a general first-aid-only-326 kit work for animals too, so you may simply need to supplement it with a few pet-specific items. Include any medications your animals take regularly, with copies of the prescriptions.
Know which shelters and lodgings are pet-friendly
This is the planning step people most often miss until it's too late: not all emergency shelters accept animals, and not all hotels allow pets. Research pet-friendly shelters in your area and pet-friendly lodging along your evacuation routes before you ever need them, and keep that list with your emergency documents. Knowing exactly where you can go with your animals removes a major obstacle from an evacuation and means you'll never have to choose between leaving your pet behind and staying in danger.
Plan for outages and stress
Animals feel the disruption of a storm and outage too. In a winter outage, keep pets in the warm room with the family. In heat, make sure they have shade, ventilation, and plenty of water. Maintain their routines as much as possible, since familiar feeding times and your calm presence reduce the stress and anxiety that emergencies cause in animals.
Frequently asked questions
How much pet food and water should I store?
Aim for at least two weeks of food in sealed containers. For water, plan about one ounce per pound of body weight per day — roughly a half-gallon daily for a 50-pound dog, more for larger animals or in hot weather. Store it alongside your family's supply and rotate it to keep it fresh.
Can I bring my pets to an emergency shelter?
Some shelters accept pets and many do not, so never assume. Research pet-friendly shelters and hotels along your evacuation routes well in advance, keep that list with your documents, and have vaccination records ready, since facilities that do take animals usually require them. Service animals are treated differently and are generally allowed.
What should go in a pet emergency kit?
Two weeks of food and water, bowls, any medications with copies of prescriptions, vaccination and ID records, a carrier and leash, waste bags or litter, a recent photo of you with your pet (to prove ownership if separated), a familiar toy or blanket for comfort, and a basic pet first aid kit.
How do I prepare livestock for a storm?
Reinforce shelters against wind and flooding, secure feed and water where they'll stay dry, identify higher ground and evacuation routes in advance, and ensure animals carry identification. Because moving livestock is slow and difficult, plan and prepare well before any storm arrives rather than reacting at the last moment.
How do I keep pets calm during a storm or outage?
Maintain their normal routines as much as you can, keep them with the family in the safe or heated room, and stay calm yourself, since animals take cues from you. Familiar toys, blankets, and feeding schedules provide reassurance, and for animals with severe anxiety, ask your veterinarian in advance about options.
