Helping Your Pet Prepare for Hurricanes Saves Lives

As hurricane season intensifies across the U.S., it’s not just humans who need to be ready—our furry companions must be protected too. According to ABC News, experts are urging families to include pets in their disaster planning before storms make landfall.

Julie Kuenstle of the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals emphasized that prepping early is crucial. From ensuring ID tags and microchips are up to date to packing pet-specific emergency kits, taking these steps in advance could save lives. Kits should include essentials like food, water, leashes, waste bags, toys, and printed vaccination records in case evacuation leads to a shelter or hotel stay.

Crucially, animals pick up on human stress, which means they can panic and run when storms hit. That’s why it’s vital to secure pets in calm, enclosed spaces and crate-train them in advance. Leaving pets behind—or worse, chaining them outdoors—is not only cruel but potentially fatal. As Cesar Perea of the American Humane Society warned, abandoned animals are at the mercy of the storm and can face horrific outcomes.

Tragically, these risks aren’t hypothetical. A bull terrier named Trooper made headlines after being rescued while chained to a fence during Hurricane Milton, sparking new Florida legislation penalizing abandonment during natural disasters.

Still, most rescues aren’t due to intentional neglect. During Hurricane Harvey, for instance, 2,300 animals were saved in Houston alone, many from owners who simply underestimated the storm’s impact. When it comes to disaster prep, no family member should be forgotten. That includes the ones with paws.

Let’s be the kind of humans our animals think we are. Before the next storm strikes, make sure your pets are part of your emergency plan—and never, ever leave them behind.

Sign These Petitions! 

Please sign our latest and most urgent petitions to help the planet. Every signature counts!

• Petition: Ban Pesticides in Iowa to Stop Cancer Crisis
• Petition: Stop Leaving Dogs Alone in Parked Cars – Demand Action Now!
• Petition: Ban Toxic Chemicals in Mattresses Now – Protect Children and Families

Related Content:

•  The Vital Role of Animal Sanctuaries: 10 Ways They Rescue and Rehabilitate Abused Animals
•  10 Animals Who Posses the Most Remarkable Problem-Solving Skills
•  Parents Charged After Teen Found Living with Dozens of Dead and Neglected Animals
•  Why Wild Animals Don’t Need Toothbrushes But We Do
•  Wildlife Park Raided After Shocking Reports of Starving and Neglected Animals

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Stand against fast fashion Pollution by supporting circular brands like Tiny Rescue, which create cause-based collections using recycled, zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade, ensuring it never ends up in a landfill.
• Shop Sustainably for Your Home: Visit SustaiNOBLE.org, an eco-friendly and ethically sourced home decor store that will empower your home with luxurious fair-trade, and sustainable products made by global artisans. 
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!