Pet Emergency Kit NZ Civil Defence: What to Pack for Dogs and Cats

The quick answer: a pet emergency kit NZ Civil Defence plan should cover food, water, ID, carriers, medications, records, toileting and a safe evacuation destination. Get Ready says animals are your responsibility and recommends enough food, water and supplies for three days or more. MPI recommends planning for home, getaway and animal first aid kits, then checking them regularly.

Why pets need their own emergency plan

New Zealand emergencies are local and messy: earthquakes, floods, storms, wildfires, slips, tsunami alerts and power cuts. A good human grab bag is not enough if your cat is hiding under the bed, your dog has no lead, or your pet's medication details are only on a phone with no battery.

Start with two questions:

• If we had to leave in 10 minutes, how would each animal travel?
• If we could not get home tonight, who could check on them?

For moving and settling context, see Moving House With a Cat NZ and Moving House With a Dog NZ.

The core pet kit

Pack a labelled bag or box you can grab quickly:

• food for at least three days, plus a can opener if needed;
• water and a collapsible bowl;
• lead, harness, collar and ID tag;
• cat carrier or dog crate where practical;
• familiar bedding or towel;
• poo bags, litter, tray liners or absorbent pads;
• copies of vaccination, medication and vet details;
• recent photos of each pet, including one with you;
• microchip and NZCAR details;
• any regular medication, packed according to vet instructions;
• basic animal first aid supplies kept with your household first aid kit.

For carriers and travel gear, see Dog Carriers and Travel Guide NZ, Dog Crate Types NZ and Cat Litter Box Types NZ.

Identification is not optional

MPI recommends ID tags, microchips, current registration for dogs, up-to-date microchip database details, and photos. In a flood or earthquake, pets can be separated from their people quickly. Do not wait for an emergency to discover the phone number on the tag is two houses ago.

For dogs, council registration also matters. See Dog Registration NZ Council Checklist.

Home kit vs getaway kit

MPI describes three kit types:

Keep the getaway kit lighter than the home kit. The best kit is one you can actually carry while managing a lead, a carrier, children or a steep driveway.

Evacuation planning

Get Ready advises taking assistance animals and pets with you if you need to evacuate, and checking whether your evacuation place can take pets. Write down:

• pet-friendly family or friends out of your suburb;
• kennel or cattery contacts;
• your vet and nearest emergency vet;
• Civil Defence and council pages for your region;
• who can access your home if you are away.

In Auckland floods, rural slips or a South Island alpine fault scenario, roads may be closed and phones may be patchy. A paper copy still earns its spot.

Quick takeaways

• Include pets in your household emergency plan.
• Store food, water and supplies for at least three days.
• Keep carriers, leads, ID, photos and records ready.
• Maintain home, getaway and animal first aid kit thinking.
• Check microchip, NZCAR, vet and council dog registration details.
• If an animal is injured, lost or found after an emergency, contact a vet or official local response channel.

Related reading

• Dog Carriers and Travel Guide NZ
• Dog Crate Types NZ
• Cat Litter Box Types NZ
• Dog Registration NZ Council Checklist

References

• Get Ready / Civil Defence, Plan for your pets and other animals, checked 2026-06-05: https://getready.govt.nz/prepared/household/tailor-your-plan/pets-and-animals
• MPI, Preparing animals for emergencies, checked 2026-06-05: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/animals/animal-welfare/animal-welfare-emergency-management/preparing-animals-for-emergencies
• MPI, Animals in emergencies: checklists and resources, checked 2026-06-05: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/animals/animal-welfare/animal-welfare-emergency-management/preparing-animals-for-emergencies/animals-in-emergencies-checklists-and-resources

Important notice

*General emergency planning information for NZ pet owners. For injured, missing, found, very distressed or unwell animals during or after an emergency, contact a NZ vet or the official local response channel.*