ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — As hurricane season nears, emergency officials in Northeast Florida are urging residents to make sure their disaster plans include pets before storms, wildfires or other emergencies force families to leave home quickly.
The reminder comes before the June 1 start of hurricane season and after recent wildfire activity in the region highlighted how quickly conditions can change.
Emergency officials said pet owners should decide ahead of time where they would go with animals during an evacuation, how they would transport them and what supplies they would need if they could not return home right away.
That planning is especially important because not all shelters or hotels accept pets, and pet-friendly shelters may require owners to bring vaccination records, carriers, leashes and enough supplies to care for animals for several days.
In Clay County, officials pointed to the recent wildfires as a reminder that disaster planning is not limited to hurricanes.
“The most important thing to think about for anyone who has a pet is, obviously, we want to keep them safe, and we want to keep you safe, too,” Laura Christmas, director of communications for Clay County, said. “It’s important to think about it right now, before a storm hits.”
Federal emergency preparedness guidance also recommends creating a separate emergency kit for pets, including food, water, medications, identification information and comfort items.
St. Johns County officials said one of the biggest mistakes residents make is waiting too long to evacuate or make arrangements for pets, which can make it harder to safely transport animals and secure shelter options as conditions worsen.
“The most important message is simple: if it is unsafe for you, it is unsafe for your pets,” county officials said. “Never leave them behind during an evacuation.”
Hurricane season officially begins June 1 and runs through Nov. 30.
What to know about pet-friendly shelters
Here is what several Northeast Florida counties say residents should know about evacuating with pets.
Clay County
Clay County officials said pet-friendly shelters are designated based on the specific emergency and area impacted, rather than being permanently assigned ahead of time.
Officials said residents should closely monitor county emergency updates during storms or evacuations for shelter locations and pet sheltering information.
Duval County
Duval County designates pet-friendly shelters during emergencies and posts locations through the city’s emergency preparedness website.
According to the city, residents bringing pets to shelters should have carriers or crates, food and water, medications, vaccination records, leashes and ID information ready before an evacuation is ordered.
Officials also note that owners remain responsible for caring for their pets while staying at shelters.
Flagler County
Flagler County says pet-friendly shelter locations may vary depending on the emergency, and officials will announce which shelters are open through county emergency channels during evacuations.
Potential hurricane evacuation shelter locations listed by the county include:
Rymfire Elementary School
1425 Rymfire Drive, Palm Coast
Bunnell Elementary School
305 N. Palmetto St., Bunnell
Buddy Taylor-Wadsworth Campus
4500-4550 Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast
Flagler County officials also advise residents to plan to stay with family, friends or hotels if possible and to monitor county emergency updates for shelter openings and evacuation information.
Putnam County
Putnam County asks residents planning to use pet-friendly shelters during emergencies to complete a pet-friendly shelter registration form ahead of time.
The county’s registration form requests owner contact information, emergency contacts, pet vaccination information and details about the animals that may need sheltering during evacuations.
St. Johns County
St. Johns County lists two pet-friendly shelter locations:
South Woods Elementary School
4750 State Road 206 West, Elkton
Timberlin Creek Elementary School
555 Pine Tree Lane, St. Augustine
Pet owners should bring a crate or carrier, food and water, medications, leashes or harnesses, bedding, comfort items and a current photo of themselves with their pet. Supplies should be labeled with the owner’s name, address and phone number.
Volusia County
Volusia County’s designated pet-friendly shelter is located at the:
Volusia County Fairgrounds
3150 E. New York Ave., DeLand
According to the county, pets at the shelter must have current vaccinations and identification tags and must remain in carriers or crates. Residents are encouraged to bring enough food, water, medications and supplies for up to seven days.
