When Officials Say Go, the Dog Goes
An evacuation plan should include your setter from the start. Ready.gov's pet disaster guidance says that when local officials ask people to evacuate, their pets should evacuate too. It warns that pets left behind may become lost or injured. The household plan should therefore answer a practical question before an emergency: where will the people and the dog go together?
Ready.gov notes that many public shelters and hotels do not allow pets inside. It advises knowing a safe place to take pets before a disaster happens. A destination that works for the people may need a separate check for the dog. Put that question into the planning conversation now, alongside how the household will leave and where the pet's supplies will be kept.
The same guidance recommends a buddy system with neighbors, friends or relatives. Agree who can care for or evacuate your dog if you cannot do it yourself. Talk through the plan with that person rather than relying on a general offer to help. The useful point is knowing who will act if you are away, and making the pet's part of the household plan clear to them.
Two Kits for Different Situations
Ready.gov recommends two pet supply kits: a larger kit for sheltering in place and a lightweight version for evacuation. Food and water are the basics it names first. Think of the kits as two ways to carry out the same plan. One supports staying where you are; the other can leave with the household when officials direct an evacuation.
Its checklist includes a collar with an ID tag and a harness or leash, plus a backup leash, collar and ID tag. It also calls for registration information and other relevant documents in a waterproof container, with electronic copies available. Those documents belong in the planning alongside supplies, so the dog and its records are considered together.
Review both kits regularly, as Ready.gov advises, especially to check that foods and medicines are fresh. Keeping two kits does not mean packing them once and forgetting them. During a review, read the checklist against what is actually there. Ask your veterinarian about any questions concerning medicines rather than guessing about a change.
ID That Helps After a Separation
Ready.gov recommends having pets microchipped and keeping the registered contact details current. It also advises including an emergency contact outside the immediate area. A microchip and the details associated with it are both part of this preparation. When reviewing the household plan, include a check of the registered details alongside the collar, tag and document copies.
A photograph of you and your pet together is another item on Ready.gov's list. The guidance explains that this can help document ownership and help others identify the pet after a separation. Keep that picture with the records you have prepared. It serves a different purpose from a written description or a registration document, so include it as its own checklist item.
What California Changed in 2025
The California Governor's October 13, 2025 legislative announcement lists AB 478 among the bills signed that day. CalAnimals' summary of AB 478 explains the provisions for pets rescued from mandatory evacuation areas. It describes both local emergency planning duties and restrictions on what happens to a rescued pet in local animal control custody.
Upon the next update of a city or county emergency plan, AB 478 requires procedures for residents or designated representatives to rescue pets that were alive at evacuation. It also requires designation of assistance during and after evacuation, and public information about that assistance and reunification resources. The timing is tied to each plan's next update; the summary does not say that every local plan has already completed that step.
CalAnimals says pets rescued from or originating in a mandatory evacuation area cannot be offered for adoption, euthanized or transferred out of local animal control custody for at least 90 days, except as specified. After that period, local rescue and foster partners must be notified and given an opportunity to take custody before euthanasia or transfer. These protections are part of the law's response to separation. The household's own preparations still begin with a destination, a buddy, supplies and identification.