If a disaster hits and we have to evacuate, how do I take my old dog with me?
Disaster guides in several places list the same steps: pack your dog's medicine, records, food and water, ask whether nearby shelters take dogs, and find friends or family who could look after them.
A real example
During Hurricane Katrina, tens of thousands of pets were left behind. Nearly half of surveyed people who did not evacuate stayed because of a pet. In 2006 the US passed the PETS Act, encouraging states and agencies to include pets in disaster plans.
News, KUOW / NPRRead the original
What others said
「I care for an 18-year-old dog and worry I can't get them out in a disaster, so every night I rehearse it in my head.」
Shared online (reworded) Japan, Oct 2026What people do in different places
Evacuating with your pet does not mean living together in the shelterJapan | Kitakyushu City pet disaster guide
If the house is safe and you are unhurt, you can shelter at homeJapan | Kitakyushu City pet disaster guide
Find several friends or relatives who could take them for a whileJapan | Kitakyushu City pet disaster guide
Write down past illnesses and current medicinesJapan | Miyagi Prefecture pet disaster guide
Pack two weeks of food, water and medicine, plus copies of vet recordsUS | CDC pet disaster kit checklist
Photograph medicine details and keep paper prescriptionsTaiwan | disaster handbook co-written by vet associations
Ask in advance whether nearby shelters accept petsTaiwan | disaster handbook co-written by vet associations
Sources
1 post from an owner online: reworded and anonymised, showing only the platform, region and month. We keep the original link privately.
Updated 25 Oct 2026. This page updates daily from owners’ posts.