In Case of Emergency
Don’t Forget FIDO!

BringFido has developed a four-step checklist to help keep your furry friends safe and by your side during a disaster or major emergency. Before it’s too late, remember to FIDO:

Follow vet recommendations and best practices.

Make sure your pet is microchipped and up to date on all vaccinations and medical records. Identifying missing canines is the first step to getting them safely home, so make sure they are microchipped and, at the very least, have a sturdy collar on. Dogs will also require up to date vaccinations and proof to be accepted into shelters and certain accommodation.

Identify evacuation routes and a list of pet-friendly hotels and shelters.

Pet-friendly rooms fill up fast during an emergency, so have multiple options on hand. Check out BringFido’s website or mobile app for Android or iOS for pet policies at more than 500,000 hotels and rental properties around the country, like this traveler who left a review of BringFido.

Designate a list of friends, family members, local pet sitters and service providers.

Contact the people in your neighbourhood or nearby who can reach your pet in the event you are separated during an emergency. You can also place a rescue alert sticker on your door, which will let rescue teams know how many pets are inside your property. Evacuees should draw a slash through the sticker before leaving the house empty.

Organize a first aid/emergency “go kit” for your pet.

At the very least, these should contain vaccination documents and medical records, a pet first aid kit, food and water for a minimum of three days, bowls, an extra collar and leash, a blanket with a recognizable scent for anxiety relief, and some toys.

Disaster-Specific Information

Pet owners should have an evacuation plan in place that considers every family member, including the furry ones. For more information on how to what to do before and during natural disasters, check out these articles from our Disaster Preparedness blog series.

Make a Dog Emergency Kit

How having a dog should affect your emergency preparations.

How to Keep Your Dog Safe During an Emergency

How to Keep Your Dog Safe During a Wildfire

How to Keep Your Dog Safe During a Tornado

How to Keep Your Dog Safe During a Winter Storm

How to Keep Your Dog Safe During an Earthquake

How to Keep Your Dog Safe During a Hurricane

How to Handle an Evacuation

We asked our most seasoned Canine Concierges what advice they would give people in the midst of an evacuation. Here are their top 10 tips:

There’s no guarantee that the hotel you stayed in last time or your preferred chain will have rooms available during the next evacuation. Expect the unexpected and be prepared to adapt your plans.
Map it out. How far are you willing to travel?
Know how many people, pets and rooms you will need prior to calling. That way we can help as many evacuees as possible.
Look for reservations on BringFido that can be changed after booking.
Plan as far in advance as you can. Places book up really fast, especially refundable rooms.
Plan on a long drive. The longer you wait, the farther you’ll probably have to drive to find pet-friendly accommodations.
Keep a record of your pet’s shots and vaccines in the glove compartment of all your cars in the event they are needed at any stop.
Stay up to date with the path of the natural disaster and know what this means for you. For example, if you live in Panama City and learn that a hurricane was going to hit the Gulf of Florida, you should know how it could potentially affect you.
Make sure you read all the pet policies and fine print on booking pages. This will tell you in advance if your dogs are welcome, including the number of pets allowed, weight limits and breed restrictions.
If there are no hotels available, check BringFido for updated information on pet-friendly shelters.

Fail to Plan… Plan to Fail

Thirty states have plans in place that provide for the evacuation, rescue and recovery of animals in the event of a disaster. Each participating state has different requirements, including providing general care and shelter for pets with or without owners, deploying animal response teams and attempting to reunite misplaced animals. Following the four steps of F.I.D.O. is one way you can assist rescue teams during an emergency.

Standing By

BringFido stands ready to assist you during any emergency evacuation. Our Canine Concierges have secured thousands of hotels, vacation rentals and shelters for evacuees, while offering essential advice on how best to navigate these highly stressful times. Visit our website or mobile app, where you can browse and book more than 500,000 hotels and vacation rentals around the country. Or, let us do the legwork for you. Our Canine Concierge team contacts the hotel to confirm the assignment of a pet-friendly room and can even help with any exceptions or special requests that you may have.

Remember that when you book with BringFido, you enjoy the benefit of our Pet Friendly Guarantee, and you’ll never pay a booking fee. Call us at 877‑411‑3436 to speak to one of our friendly agents, or save some time and book online. Either way, our service is free.

After the Storm

Pets may seem out of sorts following a disaster. The stress of these events can take its toll on all involved, especially animals. The best thing you can do is comfort them with plenty of TLC and let them rest and recover.