PetSmart Charities® – the leading funder of animal welfare in the U.S. – is teaming up with the American Red Cross, a nonprofit humanitarian organization, for National Pet Preparedness Month to ensure pet parents are ready when disaster strikes. June marks the start of hurricane and wildfire season across the country, making it imperative to have an emergency plan for the whole family, including our pets.
In 2023 alone, the Red Cross facilitated nearly 35,000 overnight stays for pets in shelters.
According to PetSmart Charities, 90% of pet parents surveyed said they wouldn't leave their home during a disaster if they couldn't bring their pets with them. Pet parents also said they would give up a spot in a shelter if they couldn't stay there with their pets. One of PetSmart Charities' goals is to keep the whole family together by supporting pet parents with planning before an emergency arises so they are better prepared for disasters.
Through PetSmart Charities' continued support of the Red Cross as a member of the Annual Disaster Giving Program, which includes a three-year commitment of more than $2 million in grant funding, pets are now recorded as part of the family upon intake at Red Cross shelters and during case management to ensure families remain intact. The funding also supports pet specific services and resources during an emergency.
The integration of pet tracking into RC Care, the Red Cross client management system, allows the organization to provide services to all family members in disaster situations while also creating pet-centric training and sheltering models with disaster response staff and volunteers. The collaboration with PetSmart Charities has helped the Red Cross make informed decisions regarding disaster response related to pets and helped ensure the needs of people and their pets affected by disasters big and small across the U.S. are met. In 2023 alone, the Red Cross facilitated nearly 35,000 overnight stays for pets in shelters.
"Pets are part of the family and, during an emergency, it's important to plan for their needs, too," said Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities. "Our partnership with the Red Cross continues our 30-year legacy of helping pets in the ways they need it most. The steps we have taken together to include pets in disaster planning, response and recovery aim to ensure that pets and people can stay together during times of crisis – this not only saves pets' lives, but also the lives of the people who love them and may not accept shelter space if it doesn't include their pets."
For Pet Preparedness Month, PetSmart Charities has developed a checklist to help prepare for and navigate the process of evacuating a disaster area with your pet, including:
- Identification and Documentation: Keep updated electronic and printed photos and copies of your pets' identification tags, medical records, vaccination records, and essential medications in a water and fireproof container.
- Emergency Supplies: Store necessary emergency supplies for your pet like food and water, first aid supplies, crates, carriers, leashes/harnesses and sanitation needs, such as litter boxes and waste bags.
- Temporary Shelter: Identify the places and spaces you can bring your pet like pet-friendly hotels, friends or family members' homes and local animal shelters or veterinary clinics for temporary housing options. All Red Cross shelters have planning and placement for pets during an emergency through support from PetSmart Charities.
- Transportation: Plan how you will transport your pet during an evacuation. Keep necessary tethers/seat belts on-hand.
- Practice and Preparation: Practice evacuating with your pet, using different routes and methods of transportation and learn how to help your pet if they are injured by downloading the Red Cross Pet First Aid app, or taking the Red Cross Pet First Aid course.
- Stay Informed: Keep a list of emergency, family, and work contacts and refer to local social media sites for official information from emergency management agencies, such as your local Red Cross.
"The American Red Cross responds to about 65,000 disasters across the country every year, and time and time again we've seen how emotionally connected people are to their pets and how important it is that they prepare in advance of disasters," said Jennifer Pipa, vice president of Disaster Programs for the American Red Cross. "As our partnership with PetSmart Charities grows, we're looking to help people develop a plan for their entire family — including their pets — to ensure they can stay connected throughout disaster response and relief efforts. Through our work together, our goal is to best serve all family members during times of crisis."
For more information on evacuation preparations, keeping pets safe during a crisis and to download a pet preparedness checklist, visit PetSmart Charities here. For more information on PetSmart Charities, please visit petsmartcharities.org.
ABOUT PETSMART CHARITIES
PetSmart Charities is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities has helped 10 million pets connect with loving homes. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. PetSmart Charities' grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and disaster relief. Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities.org, while shopping at PetSmart.com, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $500 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 18 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more, visit www.PetSmartCharities.org.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.
