Include pets in your 72-hour plan

Keep food familiar and water separate

Check how much of the pet’s normal food is used over three ordinary days. That is more useful than buying an unfamiliar “emergency” product. Note whether opened food needs refrigeration, whether feeding equipment needs cleaning and whether a power interruption changes what you can safely use. Follow the food’s storage instructions.

Plan drinking water for pets in addition to your household’s human drinking-water total. READY72 does not calculate animal litres from pet count because species, size and health needs differ. Ask your vet what is appropriate if you are unsure, especially for an animal with individual care requirements.

Know how you would move the animal safely

Locate the lead, harness or carrier you already use and check it is suitable and in working condition. Make sure another trusted adult knows where it is. A carrier that cannot be reached quickly or that the animal cannot use is not a practical arrangement, even if it is technically owned.

Consider how you would manage more than one animal, use stairs or travel without your usual vehicle if advised to leave home. Do not assume every public building or temporary location accepts pets. Identify a trusted helper or suitable option in advance, while recognising that actual emergency arrangements depend on the situation.

Write a short care handover

If someone else might look after your pet, agree with them first. Write down the normal food, routine, vet contact and any existing prescribed treatment instructions on your own private paper care sheet. Do not change an animal’s medication, ration it differently or use human medicines on the basis of a preparedness article.

Keep waste bags, litter supplies and familiar bedding accessible. Small routine items can make caring for an unsettled animal easier. Check whether specialist housing, temperature or powered equipment is involved; those needs require an individual discussion with the relevant professional or equipment provider, not a one-size-fits-all kit.

Check the arrangement with the person helping

Ask your helper whether they could actually access and handle the animal, and how you would communicate if normal phone contact were difficult. Avoid leaving an unagreed responsibility with a neighbour. Update your plan when a pet’s food, care needs or household arrangements change, and include supplies in the six-month household review.

• Three days of normal food considered
• Pet water planned separately
• Lead or carrier located
• Trusted helper and vet details agreed