Pets are not an easy thing to take care of in the event of a hurricane, but it is essential that you have a plan for them. If you have to evacuate, not every shelter will allow your pet to stay there. This can cause the greatest complication. There are many different options that you do have, but you need to make sure that you choose the best one for your pet.
If you are not planning to evacuate your best option is to keep it with you. Trying to get alternate shelter for your pet before a hurricane can take you away from preparing for yourself and family. All you need to do is make certain the pet has at least 4 days of food and water. You should also have a transportation carrier in case you do need to evacuate. Many shelters could require the pet to stay in a cage. Also keep a stack of newspapers to clean up after your pet because they will have waste to dispose of.
Evacuating a pet causes the most complications, but there are many options. You are not the only person evacuating a pet. The best way to find out where you can go with your pet is to make some phone calls. Local emergency services can let you know which shelters will allow pets and what the evacuation route is. This is important because a non-pet shelter will turn you away. They have strict guidelines why they do not allow pets, and they do follow them. Your other option is to find a good hotel that accepts pets. Some hotel advertisements in the yellow pages will tell you if pets are welcome. Make sure you call them and ask if they remain open for evacuations. Not all hotels will be staffed for emergencies. As long as you make sure that you have a couple places that you know you can take your pet, you are more prepared than most. This will ensure the safety of your pet in case of a hurricane.