In the Florida Panhandle, Steve Brown’s 10-year-old cat, Max, is well-acquainted with emergency procedures.

This is the third time in five years that Brown’s family has evacuated inland due to hurricanes, opting to stay at a friend’s house in Perry, Florida. Max even has a special evacuation spot: the spare bathroom at their friend’s place, which is pet-friendly.

“He just settles in; he’s not worried about anything,” Brown, 72, remarked.

As millions prepare for Hurricane Helene’s effects — particularly with climate change contributing to increasingly severe storms — experts urge that having a strategy for pet safety is essential as part of your emergency plans.

“You won’t have the luxury to organize everything at the last minute, so doing the necessary preparations ahead of time is key,” advised Roberta Westbrook, the chief animal welfare and medical officer at Houston’s SPCA. According to a recent survey from Talker Research, commissioned by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, while over 80% of pet owners acknowledge the importance of a pet emergency plan, only about one-third have actually made one.

Here are steps to take now to ensure your pet’s safety during a natural disaster evacuation.

Identification: Photos, collar, microchip

“The primary problem we encounter in disasters is pets getting separated from their owners,” stated Rebecca Tremble, an executive at Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

During Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Westbrook noted that hundreds of lost pets were brought to the SPCA after being separated from their families. The SPCA also conducted boat rescues to save stranded animals.

“During emergencies, people had to evacuate quickly and might not have been ready to bring their pets,” Westbrook explained.

Microchipping provides a permanent means of pet identification, said Tremble, and you can get your pet microchipped at a vet for a reasonable fee. Ensure your pet has a collar with identification tags that display your contact information too.

Take updated pictures of your pet now, Tremble recommends, so you can easily share them with rescue organizations and volunteers if you get separated.

“We all have pictures, but scrolling through them can be time-consuming,” Tremble added.

Essential Supplies: Carrier and Leash

It’s important to consider that you may need to travel with your pet for an extended period, says Westbrook, so having the right supplies is crucial for their safety.

“You want your pet to be as close to you as possible during such frantic moments,” Westbrook emphasized.

Tremble, who lives in the Midwest, keeps spare leashes for her dogs, Max and Riley, close to her basement entrance, where her family goes during storms.

“Typically during tornado season, I keep a box ready to grab as I head to the basement with the pets,” Tremble shared.

In Texas, Westbrook travels north to Dallas during major hurricanes, including this year with Beryl. Her dog Cloudy’s emergency bag is stocked with a leash, bed, and extra medication.

“It’s conveniently located on the first floor by the door, next to her kennel, and always contains a bed,” Westbrook explained.

Daily Needs: Food and Litter Box

In Perry, Florida, Max the cat has his litter box and a comfortable spot to rest in his evacuation zone.

“He’s familiar with it and will be well cared for,” Brown stated.

As he prepared his home for the potential arrival of Hurricane Helene, Brown voiced his concerns about pets that might be left behind and their chances of survival.

The hurricane is anticipated to hit late Thursday as a Category 3 or 4 storm, potentially causing as much as 15 feet of storm surge along Florida’s panhandle — a situation where seawater driven by a hurricane can dramatically inundate land and rivers. This surge, combined with the high daily tides, poses a severe threat to homes.

“For a cat caught in that surge, survival would be improbable — and we don’t know how long the power will be out,” Brown warned. “If you own a pet and truly care about it, you’ll treat it as part of your family.”