When disaster strikes suddenly, it can be hard to remember to grab all the little things you may need for an emergency evacuation.

As wildfire season continues and families plan for the worst-case scenario, PetSmart is sharing tips for how to prepare your furry friends for evacuation.

“When you are planning for a disaster, it’s really important to include the pets as well,” said Kimberly Williams, integrated marketing and communications manager of PetSmart Charities of Canada.

“We’ve prepared a full checklist of tips but just a few things that people can keep in mind is to make sure that you have a go-bag ready for your pet.”

Helpful items to pack for your pet include a week’s worth of food, leashes and kennels or carriers for ease of transportation. PetSmart also recommends keeping your pet’s identification up to date, along with medical records and recent photos.

When the time comes to evacuate, it is also important to pre-plan where you intend to go.

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“Take a minute and consider where you might evacuate to, look for things like pet-friendly shelters or hotels, or even friends and family that you might be able to lean into in the event of an emergency,” explains Williams.

If things do not go according to plan and you have to evacuate without your animals, there are many ways to notify rescue teams that your pet is in need of help.

“We hear stories from the partners that we have funded about pet parents reaching out and saying, ‘Please go to my house and I’ve had to leave my pet there.’ And they have permission to go behind fire lines oftentimes to go rescue and care for those pets,” shares Williams.

You do not have to be close to the fires for your pet to be at risk. Wildfire smoke is just as harmful to animals as it is to humans. Experts advise limiting outdoor time in smoky areas and keeping plenty of water on hand.

“Keeping an eye on them (pets) and making sure that they are looking good, staying hydrated, aren’t acting lethargic or wheezing or anything like that because any signs of distress, you would want to make sure that you contact your veterinarian,” says Williams.

As we look forward to a sunny summer, keeping your pets cool and finding shaded areas is the best way to help them stay safe as temperatures start to rise.

Watch the video above for more tips on how to keep your pet safe this wildfire season.

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