Article Title | Don't Forget your Furry Friends When Making Hurricane Preparations | Post Date | Posted on
Thursday, May 1, 2025 | Rollup Image | | Body |
Do you have a disaster plan for Fido? Pet owners need to be prepared for hurricane season, and Palm Beach County Public Safety Department Animal Care and Control Division (PBCACC) is here to help. Residents that must evacuate from their homes prior to a disaster should plan in advance where to take their pets whether it is to a friend or family member’s home, a hotel or the Pet Friendly Shelter. PBCACC reminds the community that
all pets must be brought indoors during a hurricane. Space at the Pet Friendly Shelter is limited, so please make sure to register your pet if you plan to bring them ! PBCACC has highlighted the following essential guidelines for pet owners to consider when developing their hurricane preparedness plans:
- Identification and Microchipping: Make sure your pets wear identification tags and ensure their microchip registration and contact information is up to date; a microchip is the best way to ensure a lost pet is reunited with its family.
- Transportation and Pet Carriers: Have a pet carrier large enough for pets to stand, turn around and hold food and water bowls. Write your name and phone numbers on the carrier.
- Emergency Supplies: Pack pet’s medicines, vaccination papers, first-aid supplies, bedding, grooming tools, toys and at least five days of pet food and water in a go bag with the pet’s Rabies License tag and a temporary I.D. tag with the name and number of a friend or relative outside the disaster area attached to the bag.
- Safe Shelter: Identify pet-friendly shelters, hotels, or boarding facilities that can accommodate your pets during an evacuation. Make reservations in advance if necessary,
as space may be limited.
- Medications and Vaccinations: Make sure your pets are up to date on their vaccinations such as rabies, and maintain an ample supply of necessary medications. Vaccination records are required to board your pet at a pet friendly shelter.
- Emergency Contacts: Maintain a list of emergency contacts, including your veterinarian, local animal shelters, and pet-friendly hotels or motels. Keep this list accessible and share it with family members or trusted neighbors.
- Horses and Livestock: Braid a waterproof luggage tag with owner information into the tail of the horse. For livestock, either body clip or use non-toxic livestock markers to paint the owner’s name and phone number on the neck. Large animals should have a two-week supply of hay, feed and water secured in plastic water-tight containers.
Pet Friendly Shelter
In the event of an approaching hurricane, the Pet Friendly Shelter, located at 6000 Northtree Blvd. in Lake Worth, is available to residents who live in mandatory evacuation zones, sub-standard construction, flood prone areas or mobile homes. Residents must preregister! The form to preregister for the shelter can be found at https://discover.pbcgov.org/publicsafety/animalcare/Pages/Hurricane.aspx. To preregister, all dogs and cats must be currently vaccinated against rabies, wear rabies license tags, be microchipped and protected against fleas and ticks with medication.
* For other pet friendly facilities, please visit the links below.
Preparedness Information
Search Pet Friendly Hotels database on "PetsWelcome.com"
PBCACC is located at 7100 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach, just west of the Florida Turnpike. For more information, please visit the website, www.pbcgov.com/animal.
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