Have assembled and ready to go, a cat carrier to evacuate each cat in your household. An "Evacsak," is an alternative to a carrier. It is similar to a pillow case, but is a much safer and more secure way to transport a small animal. They take up a lot less space than carriers, and if you have a house full of animals that need to be transported, you can get a lot more Evacsaks into a car. They can be purchased by contacting Animal Care Equipment and Services at 1-800-338-ACES. A carrier would then be used to house a cat if you have to be away from your home for an extended period of time. Be sure to have a shoe box size litter box and a food and a water dish to use in the carrier.

Have a harness and leash for all the dogs in your household. If you have to evacuate, dogs can become frightened and if you only have a collar around their neck, they may be able to pull away from you and have the collar slip over their head. A harness will allow you to securely control your dog. If your dog rides in the car, always have a leash in the vehicle. A disaster may occur while you are away from home, and if you should have to abandon your car, you want to be able to keep your dog safely controlled. You may want to get a harness and a leash for your cat too, in case you have to keep them confined in a cage while you are living away from home. If they are not used to being in a cage, a harness would allow you to safely take them out of the cage and give them some exercise. Do not leave a cat unattended though while it is on a leash, otherwise, the cat might end up strangling itself.

Have a stake out chain for all the dogs in your household. Walls and fences may come down during a disaster and it may be necessary to keep your dog confined on a chain leash until repairs can be made. Be sure the chain is long enough for the dog to move around, but not a length where it might get tangled around something and cause the dog to choke itself. Shelter from the elements should be within the dog's reach too. If you do not have something to attach the chain to, you should get a stake that screws into the ground. Be sure it is secure for the size dog you have. Pet supply stores sell a variety of sizes.

If your dog is kept in an outdoor run, make sure it's in a location where falling debris (tree limbs, shingles, power lines, chimney bricks, etc.) won't fall on the run and possibly injure the dog. If something were to fall on the run and possibly prevent opening the door, you should have a heavy duty wire cutter, in case the dog was trapped inside and had to be freed.

Be sure and comfort your animals during a disaster. They are frightened too, and having you near to give them a hug will help. It will probably do a lot to help you too. If an animal is not ready to be comforted though, do not force it. This is especially true for cats. Let an animal come to you when it is ready.

Know where the animal shelters or animal rescue organizations are in your area. You may need to visit them after a disaster to look for a missing animal. It is important to start looking for a missing animal as soon as you realize it is gone, as some shelters may not be able to house for a very long time large numbers of displaced animals that arrive during a disaster.

For more detailed animal disaster tips, you may want to purchase the book Out of Harm's Way, written by Terri Crisp, the Director of United Animal Nation's Emergency Animal Rescue Service program. The last fifty pages of the book have life saving tips for domesticated animals, horses, and livestock. Any one who has animals should have this valuable resource guide.