Storm-Ready Pets: A September Emergency Preparedness Guide for Fayetteville Pet Owners

September is National Preparedness Month, making it an excellent time for families to think about what they would do if an emergency suddenly disrupted their normal routine.

For pet owners, that preparation needs to include every four-legged member of the family.

In Fayetteville and throughout North Carolina, severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, power outages, and other emergencies can happen with little warning. A storm does not have to make a direct hit on our community to create dangerous conditions. Heavy rain, high winds, fallen trees, flooding, road closures, and loss of electricity can quickly change the way we care for our pets.

At Cliffdale Animal Hospital, we encourage pet owners to prepare before an emergency happens.

A few simple steps taken now can make an enormous difference when your family has to act quickly.

Your Pet Needs an Emergency Plan, Too

Most families have at least some idea of what they would grab if they had to leave home quickly.

Phone? Check.

Wallet? Check.

Important documents? Hopefully.

But what about the dog hiding under the bed because of thunder? What about the cat who disappears the moment the carrier comes out? Where are your pet's medications? Do you know the microchip number? Is the information registered to your current phone number?

These are much harder questions to answer when the rain is already falling and an evacuation notice has been issued.

Preparing ahead of time allows you to make those decisions calmly.

Your pet emergency plan should answer several basic questions:

• Where will your family go if you must evacuate?
• Can your pets go with you?
• How will each pet be safely transported?
• Who can help your pets if you are away from home?
• Where are their veterinary records?
• Does each pet have current identification?
• Does your pet have enough medication and food if normal services are interrupted?

Write down your plan and make sure everyone in the household knows it.

Build a Pet Emergency Kit Before You Need It

One of the easiest ways to prepare is to create a dedicated emergency kit for your pets.

Keep everything together in a waterproof tote, sturdy container, backpack, or other bag that you can quickly grab if you need to leave home.

Food and Water

Keep an emergency supply of your pet's regular food available.

Suddenly changing foods during an already stressful situation can lead to gastrointestinal problems, so an emergency is not the ideal time to experiment with a new brand.

You should also have:

• Bottled water
• Food and water bowls
• A manual can opener if your pet eats canned food
• Feeding instructions
• Treats that your pet is accustomed to eating

The CDC recommends planning for as much as a two-week supply of food and water for each animal when building a pet disaster preparedness kit.

Remember to rotate stored food periodically so that nothing in your emergency kit expires.

Don't Forget Your Pet's Medications

If your dog or cat takes prescription medication, preparation becomes even more important.

Keep a list containing:

• Medication names
• Dosages
• How frequently each medication is administered
• Your veterinarian's information
• Your pet's medical conditions
• Known allergies

When possible, maintain an emergency supply of medications rather than waiting until only one or two doses remain.

This is particularly important for pets receiving medications for chronic conditions. Pharmacies, veterinary hospitals, roads, and delivery services can all be affected during severe weather.

Don't forget your pet's regular parasite prevention either.

Here in North Carolina, mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks can remain a concern for much of the year. Staying consistent with heartworm, flea, and tick prevention remains important even when normal routines are temporarily disrupted.

Make Sure Your Pet Can Be Identified

Storms and emergencies create unusual noises, unfamiliar people, open doors, damaged fences, and stressful environments.

Even pets that normally never wander away can escape when frightened.

Make sure your dog or cat has a collar with current identification whenever appropriate.

Then consider adding another important layer of protection: a microchip.

A collar and tag are valuable, but they can come off. A microchip provides permanent identification that veterinary hospitals and animal shelters can scan.

Cliffdale Animal Hospital offers HomeAgain microchips and has seen firsthand how microchipping can help reunite lost pets with their families.

Already have a microchipped pet?

Excellent—but don't stop there.

Check that the microchip is registered and that the contact information associated with it is current.

If your phone number or address has changed since your pet was microchipped, update the registration information now.

Your emergency paperwork should also contain:

• Your pet's microchip number
• Microchip company information
• Current photographs of your pet
• A photograph showing you and your pet together
• Your contact information
• An emergency contact outside your household

These details can be extremely useful if you and your pet become separated.

Keep Veterinary Records Ready to Go

If you must evacuate, you may end up miles from your normal veterinarian.

Having basic veterinary documentation with you can make it easier for another clinic, boarding facility, shelter, or emergency facility to understand your pet's medical needs.

Keep copies of important records in a waterproof container or protected digital location.

Consider including:

• Rabies certificate
• Vaccination records
• Current medications
• Medical history
• Prescription information
• Microchip information
• Your veterinarian's phone number
• Any important laboratory or test information related to ongoing medical conditions

Current vaccines can become especially important if your pet needs to stay at a boarding facility or other location with unfamiliar animals.

CDC emergency-preparedness guidance recommends keeping veterinary records, rabies and vaccination documentation, prescription information, pet descriptions, recent photos, and microchip information with your disaster supplies.

If you're unsure whether your pet's vaccines are current, September is a great time to check.

Get Dogs Comfortable With Leashes and Cats Comfortable With Carriers

An evacuation becomes much more difficult when the dog refuses to enter the vehicle or the cat vanishes the moment the carrier appears.

Don't wait for an emergency to introduce these things.

For cats, leave the carrier accessible periodically rather than storing it somewhere that only appears before a veterinary visit. Place familiar bedding or treats inside and allow your cat to explore it voluntarily.

Dogs should be comfortable wearing a secure collar or harness and walking on a leash.

Keep carriers and leashes somewhere that can be reached quickly.

During an evacuation, pets should be safely restrained rather than riding loose in a vehicle.

Practicing ahead of time helps turn the process into something familiar instead of another frightening surprise during an already stressful event. The CDC specifically recommends practicing evacuation and helping pets become comfortable with their carriers and transportation before an emergency occurs.

Have a Backup Caregiver

Emergencies don't always happen while we're sitting at home.

You may be at work, shopping, traveling, or picking up children when dangerous weather arrives.

Choose a trusted neighbor, friend, or family member who could reach your pets if you cannot.

Make sure that person knows:

• Where your pets are usually located
• Where carriers and leashes are kept
• Where emergency supplies are stored
• Whether your pets take medications
• How to contact you
• Where you plan to meet

Give them a spare key or another safe method of entering the home when appropriate.

Having a backup caregiver can be particularly important when weather conditions deteriorate quickly.

Decide Where You Can Go With Your Pets

Never assume that every emergency shelter, hotel, or temporary housing facility will accept animals.

Research your options before you need them.

Identify:

• Pet-friendly hotels along possible evacuation routes
• Friends or family outside the immediate area who can accommodate pets
• Boarding facilities
• Veterinary hospitals
• Local sheltering resources

Keep more than one option available because road conditions and storm paths can change.

If officials instruct your community to evacuate, follow their guidance. CDC hurricane-preparedness guidance advises following official evacuation routes because alternate roads may be blocked or flooded.

Most importantly, do not leave pets behind simply because your family is evacuating.

Your emergency plan should be designed so that your pets can leave with you whenever evacuation becomes necessary.

Prepare for Power Outages

Even when evacuation isn't required, severe weather can cause prolonged power outages.

Think about how losing electricity would affect your pet.

Does your pet take medication that requires refrigeration?

Do you rely on an electric water fountain?

Do you have fish, reptiles, birds, or other animals requiring electrically powered temperature regulation or filtration?

Do you use an automatic feeder?

Planning for these needs ahead of time can prevent a minor inconvenience from becoming a medical concern.

Keep flashlights, batteries, portable charging equipment, and other household emergency supplies accessible.

For medications requiring refrigeration or other special handling, ask your veterinarian in advance what you should do during a prolonged outage.

Protect Pets After the Storm Passes

The disappearance of wind and rain does not necessarily mean the danger has ended.

After severe storms, pets can encounter hazards that weren't there the day before.

Watch for:

• Downed power lines
• Broken glass
• Nails and construction debris
• Damaged fences
• Fallen tree limbs
• Displaced wildlife
• Standing or contaminated water
• Chemicals or household products released by flooding
• Spoiled food
• Unfamiliar animals

Keep dogs leashed when exploring an area after a storm, even if they normally have excellent recall.

Cats should remain safely indoors.

Flooding can also change familiar scents and landmarks. A pet that normally knows the neighborhood well may become confused after the landscape has changed.

Do not allow pets to drink from puddles, floodwater, or standing water. CDC guidance recommends keeping pets away from stagnant or potentially contaminated water following emergencies.

Know When Your Pet Needs Veterinary Care

Stress can affect pets physically as well as emotionally.

After an emergency, monitor your pet carefully.

Contact a veterinarian if you notice concerning symptoms such as:

• Difficulty breathing
• Collapse or extreme weakness
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• Significant wounds or bleeding
• Burns
• Suspected poisoning
• Difficulty walking
• Severe pain
• Inability to urinate
• Seizures
• Significant changes in behavior
• Refusal to eat or drink for an abnormal period
• Heat-related illness

If you're unsure whether something constitutes an emergency, calling a veterinary professional is always appropriate.

September Pet Preparedness Checklist

Before September ends, give yourself this challenge.

Can you check every box?

☐ My pet has current identification.

☐ My pet's microchip information is registered and up to date.

☐ I have current photographs of my pet.

☐ Vaccinations and veterinary records are accessible.

☐ I have an emergency supply of food and water.

☐ Prescription medications and instructions are ready.

☐ I have carriers, leashes, and harnesses available.

☐ My cat is familiar with its carrier.

☐ My dog can be safely transported.

☐ I have a pet first-aid kit.

☐ I know where I can evacuate with my pets.

☐ Someone I trust can help my pets if I am away.

☐ My family knows our emergency plan.

If you can't check every box, don't worry—that's exactly why we prepare before an emergency occurs.

Complete one or two items at a time until your pet's plan is ready.

Preparation Is Part of Preventive Care

Preventive veterinary care is usually associated with wellness exams, vaccinations, heartworm prevention, parasite control, dental health, and nutrition.

But preparedness belongs on that list too.

Knowing your pet is identifiable, medically prepared, safely transportable, and included in your family's emergency plan gives you one less thing to figure out when circumstances become stressful.

At Cliffdale Animal Hospital, we're here to help Fayetteville families keep their pets healthy throughout every season.

If you need to check your pet's vaccination status, discuss medications, schedule a wellness exam, or have your pet microchipped, contact our team.

Cliffdale Animal Hospital
6416 Brookstone Lane
Fayetteville, NC 28314
910-487-5013

When an emergency happens after normal hospital hours, Cliffdale Animal Hospital currently directs clients to:

Points East Veterinary Emergency Hospital
1731 Convoy Lane
Fayetteville, NC 28303
910-864-2844

A storm may be unpredictable.

Your pet's emergency plan doesn't have to be.