LA Animal Services Reminds Pet Owners to 
Include Pets in Family Emergency Plans

LOS ANGELES, September 19, 2025 – September is National Preparedness Month and the best way to handle any emergency or disaster is by being prepared. An unpredictable emergency situation such as an earthquake, flood, or wildfire can happen at any time. Making a plan to be as ready as possible will help all of your family members, two-legged and four-legged alike, be safe for any emergency.

Be ready for any natural disaster or emergency with these tips and by using this Emergency Plan Checklist.
 

• Make sure your pets are microchipped and have proper identification. Your dog should have a current City license, and your cat should be wearing a name tag with your contact information. Your dog, cat, bunny or horse’s microchip should be registered with your correct, up-to-date contact information. If you have moved, or changed your phone numbers, contact your microchip company to update your pet’s chip immediately. If you and your animal are separated, proper identification will help reunite your furry friend with the family! Get your pet microchipped at any of the six LA Animal Services Centers. The cost is $15.
   
• Have a rescue alert sticker visible (available at your local pet supply store) in one of your home’s windows that lists the number and species of animals residing in your home. If you evacuate with your pets during an emergency, and time allows, write “Evacuated” across the alert sticker.
   
• Prepare an emergency kit. Put together a backpack of emergency supplies for your pet such as food and water for several days, treats, medications, toys and blankets. Make sure that perishable items are replaced every few months. Keep a back-up supply of pet food, prescription medications, kitty litter, and essentials.
   
• Create copies of important documents for your animal such as vaccination records, microchip information, photos of your pet, your contact information, friends/relatives contact information, any notes on feeding, medication, and behavior. Keep a copy off-site with a friend or family member, in Cloud storage and tape a copy to a portable kennel.
   
• Train your companion animal to be comfortable in a portable kennel. If an emergency happens or you have to evacuate, this will help your pet feel safe and make it easier to transport them.
   
• Get to know your neighbors. If you are not home when an emergency happens, your neighbor can check on your animal and help evacuate your pet if necessary.
   
• Find a safe place to stay ahead of time in case you have to evacuate. Identify hotels inside and outside your area that accept pets during emergency situations. If you cannot take your furry family member with you, identify boarding facilities nearby and outside of your area where you can take your pet.
   
• During an emergency, take your animals with you! If you need to evacuate your home for any reason, take your animals with you! It is simply too dangerous to leave companion animals unattended during natural disasters. The best way to ensure the safety of your pets is to evacuate with them.

Large Animal Evacuation


In the event of an emergency where evacuations are ordered by emergency personnel, Los Angeles Animal Services will activate evacuation sites for equines and other large animals. Various locations may be used, depending on the location of the emergency and the area to be evacuated.

If there is an emergency in your area and you believe evacuation is likely, or if you have been ordered to evacuate, please contact any of our six LA Animal Services Centers to get current information on large animal evacuation sites for your area.

 

Resources

Evacuations and disasters can happen at any time. Being prepared and ready to go will help you, your family, and your pets stay safe in an emergency. Below are resources to help you plan including a video and a printable flyer with pet and livestock information.

• Emergency Preparedness for Your Pets – LA Animal Services flyer with information on how to prepare your pets and livestock for disasters.
• NotifyLA  – City of Los Angeles mass notification system used to send out voice, text and e-mail messages to residents and businesses during times of emergencies.
• National Weather Services – Get up to date weather information for Los Angeles.
• Ready LA – General emergency preparedness information for the City of Los Angeles.

 

Shelter Locations and Hours

There are six LA Animal Services Centers located throughout the City. Each shelter location is open Tuesday through Friday from 8am to 5pm, and on the weekends from 11am to 5pm. City shelters are closed on Mondays and City-observed holidays. To view the nearest shelter near you, click here.

To learn more about LA Animal Services and how to keep you and your pets safe during an emergency, visit laanimalservices.com/emergency-preparedness.