Vancouver sits in an active earthquake zone, and after a major quake most households will likely shelter at home for days. Pets need three plans: supplies to stay put, a bag to leave in minutes, and a neighbour who can reach them if you cannot get home. Current ID matters most, because frightened pets bolt.
Why now
The ShakeOut drill runs across British Columbia every October, and it is a good reminder that the whole South Coast lives with earthquake risk. Nobody can say when a large one will come. What we do know is that roads, power and water can all be disrupted for days afterward, and that pets are easiest to protect when the planning is already done.
Plan one: staying put
If your home is safe after the shaking, staying in it is usually best. PreparedBC advises households to be ready to look after themselves for at least 72 hours, and planning for a week is better for pets, since help and supplies may be slow to arrive.
- Water first. Store enough for every pet as well as every person, plus extra for rinsing bowls and wounds.
- Food for a week, in sealed containers, rotated every few months so it stays fresh.
- Anything your pet needs daily, with a week’s supply set aside and a written note of what it is.
- Litter, a spare litter box and waste bags, since a cat’s routine matters even more when everything else is upside down.
- A small first aid kit with gauze, a roll of bandage, saline for rinsing and a towel.
Keep it all together in one bin in a closet on the main floor, not behind boxes in a basement storage room.
Plan two: leaving in a hurry
If the building is damaged or you smell gas, you need to be out quickly. Get people and pets out without switching anything on or off and without anything that could spark, then call 911 or the gas company from outside.
For the grab-and-go bag:
- A leash and harness for each dog, and a carrier for each cat or small pet
- Two or three days of food and water, collapsible bowls, and waste bags
- Copies of vaccination records and a recent photo of each pet with you
- A few days’ supply of anything your pet needs daily
- A blanket or towel, which calms a cat in a carrier and doubles as bedding
Practise the part people skip: getting every animal into a carrier or onto a leash fast. A cat who only sees the carrier on vet days will vanish under the bed when the shaking stops, so leave the carrier out, open and comfortable all year.
Plan three: when you cannot get home
Many East Vancouver residents commute, and after a large quake bridges and major roads may be closed. Agree now with a neighbour, ideally one who works nearby, that whoever is home first checks on the other’s animals. Give them a key, your pets’ names and hiding places, where the carriers are, and your phone number.
Apartments and older houses
Elevators can stop during an earthquake or a power outage and should not be used afterward, so plan to carry carriers down the stairs. Keep the carrier and leash near the door, not in a storage locker downstairs. In older houses, chimneys, old windows and heavy shelving are the common hazards, so secure tall furniture and keep pet beds away from glass and anything that could fall.
When the shaking stops
Protect yourself first while the ground is moving and look for your pets afterward. Wear shoes before walking through the house, because broken glass is likely. Speak quietly, check each animal for cuts, limping or trouble breathing, and keep dogs leashed and cats shut in a room, since damaged doors and fences make escapes easy and aftershocks will frighten them again.
Cuts that keep bleeding, a pet who cannot stand or is struggling to breathe, or a pet who was trapped or hit by something needs to be seen by our urgent care team. Our hours are 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM from Monday to Saturday and 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sundays, and we close on statutory holidays. If we are closed or cannot be reached, make your way to the nearest open emergency hospital you can safely reach.
The days afterward
Hiding, a smaller appetite and a few accidents are common for several days, so keep meals at the usual times and the house as calm as you can. A cat who has not eaten for a day should be seen. A male cat who keeps going to the litter box without passing urine is an emergency, so call us right away, or head for an open emergency hospital when we are closed. Our medical services team can also help with stress-related problems that show up once things settle.
ID is the step that reunites families
Many lost pets are found close to home after a disaster, but they can only be returned if someone can reach you. Make sure the microchip record lists a phone number you answer today, and clip a tag with your number onto every collar, using a breakaway style for cats. A wellness program visit is a good time to scan the chip and bring records up to date, and our post on microchipping myths explains what a chip does and does not do.
Frequently asked questions
How much water do my pets need in the kit?
Enough for at least a week for every animal, with extra for cleaning. Larger dogs drink far more than cats, so size the supply to your household rather than a single figure.
Should I take my pets to an emergency shelter?
Only if it accepts pets. Many emergency shelters take only service animals, so take your pets with you if you have to leave, and line up a friend or relative outside the area and a few pet-friendly places to stay ahead of time.
My cat hides for hours after a small tremor. Is that normal?
Yes, hiding is how many cats cope. Keep food, water and a litter box near the hiding spot, and phone us if your cat stops eating or using the box.
What if I have birds or small pets?
Include them in the plan with a travel cage, a week of food, and something to cover the cage to keep them calm. Birds and small mammals are sensitive to cold and dust, so protect them from both.
Is a microchip enough on its own?
No. A chip is permanent, but it only helps once a lost pet is scanned. A collar tag with your number gets a pet home faster, so use both.
When is the best time to put the kit together?
Now, while it is calm. An October ShakeOut drill is a good time to check it each year, replacing food and water and updating photos and records.
Speak to the team at Killarney Animal Hospital
If you would like help getting your pets ready, or your pet has been injured, phone us, or go to whichever emergency hospital you can safely reach if we are closed.
Published by the team at Killarney Animal Hospital.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for an in-person veterinary examination or advice about your individual pet. If you have an urgent concern about your pet, contact Killarney Animal Hospital or your nearest emergency veterinary hospital right away.
Killarney Animal Hospital
2649 East 49th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5S 1J9
Phone: (604) 433-5500
Email: info@killarneyanimalhospital.com
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Sunday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM; statutory holidays closed