Think ahead: Building a wildfire evacuation kit for your household pets

With wildfire season still upon us, it’s important you have an emergency plan, including for your furry family members.

September is National Preparedness Month and the National Fire Prevention Association wants to make sure you know what to do for your pets in the event of a fire.

NFPA says it’s important to build an evacuation kit for each of your pets so that it is ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Pet evacuation kits should include, among other things, pet vaccination records, pet medications and prescriptions, ownership records and microchip paperwork.

You should also have contact information for your pets’ veterinarian and designate a family member or friend as someone who may be able to temporarily take your pet in case of an evacuation.

“You plan an important role in helping your pets stay safe in a wildfire… It doesn’t take a lot of time to build a kit, and it can usually be done using things you already have at home,” NFPA said.

For more information and for a full pet evacuation checklist, visit www.nfpa.org.