Hilton Head Island sits in one of the most active hurricane corridors on the East Coast. If you live here long enough, a storm will come. The question isn’t whether you’ll need a plan — it’s whether your plan includes your pets.
Before the Storm
The best time to prepare is before you’re watching a storm track toward the Lowcountry.
Build Your Pet’s Go-Bag
Think of this as a grab-and-go kit that lives somewhere accessible year-round. You want two versions if possible — one full kit for sheltering in place, and a lighter version for evacuation.
Food and water: At minimum three days, ideally seven to ten. Keep food in an airtight, waterproof container. Don’t forget bowls.
Medications: An extra supply of any medications your pet takes regularly, in a waterproof container. Include dosing instructions.
First aid kit: Bandage rolls, bandage tape, scissors, antibiotic ointment, latex gloves, isopropyl alcohol, saline solution, hydrogen peroxide (3% solution — can be used to induce vomiting in dogs when directed by a veterinarian or poison control; do not use without guidance, dosing matters), and a pet first aid reference guide. Ask your vet what’s most appropriate for your specific pet.
Carrier or crate: Large enough for your pet to stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably. Practice loading your pet into it before you need to — especially cats.
Collar, ID tag, and leash: Your pet should wear current ID at all times. Keep a backup set in the go-bag.
Sanitation supplies: Litter and litter box if applicable, paper towels, plastic bags, and household bleach (one part bleach to nine parts water makes a safe disinfectant).
Comfort items: A favorite toy, treat, or piece of familiar bedding. Stress is real for animals during disasters, and familiar smells help.
A photo of you and your pet together: If you’re separated, this helps document ownership and gives others something to work from.
Build Your Pet’s Digital Folder
This one could make all the difference — not just if you’re separated from your pet, but if the place you evacuate to requires proof of vaccinations before they’ll take your animal. Kennels, Rover sitters, and some campgrounds all require current vaccine records. Not having them in a crisis is a genuinely stressful situation that is completely avoidable.
Create a dedicated folder on your phone right now — before you need it. Include:
Photos of your pet from multiple angles, including any distinguishing markings
A lost pet descriptor — species, breed, age, sex, weight, color, and any unique characteristics written out in plain language
Microchip number and manufacturer — and confirm the registration is current and linked to your current contact information
Vaccine records — a photo or PDF of your pet’s current vaccination history. This is non-negotiable if you need a kennel, Rover sitter, or boarding facility during an evacuation
Vet records and contacts — medications, any ongoing conditions, and your vet’s after-hours or emergency contact number
If you’re ever separated from your pet far from home, also note: leaving a worn piece of clothing near where your pet was last seen can help them find their way back to a familiar scent. Register immediately with national lost pet databases. Links are on our Lost & Found page.
Microchip and Register
A microchip without current registration is nearly useless in a disaster. Animals displaced by hurricanes sometimes end up in shelters in other states. If your pet isn’t chipped, or if the registration isn’t current, fix that now — not when a storm is three days out.
See our Affordable Pet Care page for low-cost microchipping options and in the Lowcountry and free registration.
Know Where You’re Going
Public emergency shelters may not accept pets. Plan now so you’re not figuring this out during a mandatory evacuation order.
Friends or family outside the evacuation zone who can take you and your pets
Pet-friendly hotels along your likely evacuation routes — call ahead and confirm their pet policy; don’t assume
Boarding facilities or veterinary hospitals inland that might take pets during evacuations
Rover sitters — many Rover sitters offer in-home pet boarding and are a legitimate evacuation option. Per Rover policy, sitters are required to ask for proof of vaccinations, so have those records ready in your digital folder. Search for sitters along your evacuation route before a storm is named — availability disappears fast
Campgrounds (inland) — an underrated option that many pet owners overlook. Most campgrounds welcome pets, and some are better prepared for emergencies than you’d expect. If you have a tent, a car, or an RV, this is worth having as a backup plan
Develop a buddy system: Identify a neighbor, friend, or family member who can evacuate your pets if you can’t get home in time. Show them where your go-bag is kept. Have a meeting point established.
Secure Your Property
Bring all outdoor animals inside. Tie down or remove anything in your yard that could become a projectile. Make sure all exits and cat doors are secured so pets can’t escape into the storm.
Get a “Pets Inside” Sticker
Place stickers on your doors or windows indicating the number and types of pets in your home. This alerts first responders. If you evacuate with your pets, write “Evacuated with Pets” across the sticker so rescue workers know.
The ASPCA offers free pet safety packs including window stickers here
During the Storm
If you cannot evacuate, your job is to stay calm, stay together, and stay put.
Shelter in Place
Choose an interior room without windows — a bathroom, closet, or hallway. Bring your entire family there, including your pets. Keep your go-bag in the room with you.
Do not leave pets in vehicles at any point during a storm.
Talk to your vet in advance about whether any calming aids or medications are appropriate for your pet during a high-stress event like a hurricane.
Know your pet’s hiding spots. Frightened animals run for cover. Make sure you know where they’ll go so you can keep them with you.
Secure all exits and cat doors so pets can’t bolt into the storm.
Stay with crated animals — they depend entirely on you for food and water.
After the Storm
The storm passing doesn’t mean it’s safe yet.
Before You Go Outside
Wait for official confirmation that the storm has fully passed before going outside. Walk your property and assess damage before letting children or animals out.
Keep dogs on leash and cats in a carrier when going outside after a storm. Downed power lines, sharp debris, displaced wildlife, and standing water are all hazards — and your pet won’t know the difference between normal and dangerous terrain.
Give Pets Time to Reorient
Familiar scents and landmarks may be altered or gone entirely. Pets can become disoriented and lost even in neighborhoods they know well. Keep them close and on leash longer than you think you need to.
Familiar bedding helps reduce stress during displacement. If possible, keep their sleeping area consistent even if the location changes.
Watch for Behavioral Changes
Disaster stress affects animals just as it affects people. A normally calm pet may become defensive, anxious, or uncharacteristically aggressive. Give them more space around other animals, children, and strangers. Comfort them with calm words, physical contact, and as much routine as you can restore.
Standing Water
Keep animals away from standing water after a storm. It may be contaminated with sewage, chemicals, or debris. Vets often see a rise in Leptospirosis cases after hurricanes and flooding — it’s a bacterial infection spread through contaminated water that can affect both pets and people, and it can be serious. When in doubt, keep your pet away from it entirely until conditions normalize.
Finding a Lost Pet After a Storm
If you become separated from your pet during a hurricane, act immediately — don’t wait to see if they come home on their own.
File a report with Pet FBI at PetFBI.org right away and follow the lost pet steps on our Lost & Found page.
Contact local animal shelters, humane societies, and Beaufort County Animal Services — displaced animals are often picked up and held at facilities that may be outside your immediate area.
Check with your local or state emergency management agency for information on pet recovery resources activated during disaster response.
Dial 211 or visit 211.org to find additional local services for locating or caring for pets after a disaster.
For disaster-specific hotlines and resources activated when a named storm hits, check aspca.org/disaster — the ASPCA posts event-specific information there when disasters occur.
To look up a found pet’s microchip across multiple registries, use the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup here.
🐾 Download the Pet Evacuation Checklist (PDF) — print it and keep it with your go-bag.