Hurricane Preparedness for Dogs in Pensacola: A Complete Checklist
- Jul 20
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 24
Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 - November 30. For Pensacola dog owners, the most important rule is simple:
Never leave your dog behind
If your home is not safe for you, it is not safe for your dog.
Take every pet with you when you evacuate. Never leave a dog tied outside, trapped in a yard, or alone in a home where flooding, structural damage, or prolonged power loss is possible.
Florida reinforced that responsibility through Trooper’s Law, which took effect October 1, 2025. The law makes it a third-degree felony to restrain a dog outdoors during a natural disaster and then abandon the dog. A conviction can carry up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
The law was named for Trooper, a bull terrier found tied along Interstate 75 as people evacuated ahead of Hurricane Milton. Florida Highway Patrol rescued him from rising water. His story became a reminder that pets depend entirely on their owners when disaster strikes.
Decide where you and your dog will go
Make your evacuation plan before a storm forms in the Gulf.
Choose at least two possible destinations, such as:
A family member’s home outside the evacuation area
A pet-friendly hotel
A vacation rental that accepts dogs
A boarding facility outside the storm’s projected path
An officially opened pet-friendly shelter
Confirm pet policies directly. Do not assume a hotel that normally allows dogs will have available rooms or follow its usual policies during an evacuation.
Use Escambia County’s Know Your Zone map to identify your evacuation zone, possible storm-surge exposure, evacuation routes, and shelter information.
Your plan should also identify:
The vehicle you will use
The route you will take
An alternate route
Who will retrieve your dog if you are away
Where you will meet if your family becomes separated
Who is authorized to make veterinary decisions for your dog
Know how Pensacola’s pet-friendly shelter works
Escambia County identifies a pet-friendly shelter for household dogs and cats when conditions require one. The location is announced through the county’s Storm Center during the emergency.
Space is limited, and the county describes the pet shelter as a last-resort option. Owners stay in an adjacent human shelter and remain responsible for helping care for their pets. Proof of current vaccinations should be brought with you.
Do not drive to a shelter until Escambia County confirms that it is open. Shelter locations and availability can change from one storm to another.
Sign up for local emergency alerts
Register for Alert Escambia before hurricane season. The free system distributes local emergency information through text messages, emails, and telephone calls.
Also save the Escambia County Storm Center, which publishes current information about shelters, evacuations, road closures, outages, sand distribution, and recovery resources.
Every adult in the household should know where to find:
Alert Escambia messages
The Escambia County Storm Center
National Hurricane Center updates
Your veterinarian’s emergency number
Your evacuation plan
Pack a seven-day emergency kit for your dog
Florida emergency officials recommend preparing at least seven days of essential supplies. Pack your dog’s supplies in a waterproof container that can be loaded quickly.
Food and water
Seven days of dog food
Seven days of drinking water
Food and water bowls
Manual can opener, when needed
Feeding instructions
A few familiar treats
Medications and medical care
Prescription medications
Copies of current prescriptions
Written dosage instructions
Veterinarian contact information
Emergency veterinary contact information
Basic pet first-aid supplies
Do not wait until a storm is approaching to refill important medication.
Identification and records
Rabies certificate
Complete vaccination records
Medical records
Microchip company and registration information
A current photograph of your dog
A photograph of you with your dog
Written emergency contacts
Copies stored on your phone and on paper
Confirm that your dog’s identification tag and microchip registration contain a working telephone number.
Containment and safety
Sturdy crate or carrier
Secure collar
Identification tag
Well-fitting harness
Primary and backup leashes
Waste bags
Absorbent pads
Cleaning supplies
Towels
Clearly label the crate with:
Your dog’s name
Your name
Your telephone number
An alternate contact
Important medical or behavioral instructions
Comfort items
Familiar blanket or bedding
Favorite toy
Calming item recommended by your veterinarian
Recent item carrying the scent of home
A familiar blanket and a calm voice will not stop the storm, but they can make a strange room, shelter, or hotel feel less frightening.
Prepare your dog for the crate and car
An evacuation is not the best time for a dog’s first long car ride or first experience inside a crate.
Practice before hurricane season:
Take short, positive car rides
Feed occasional meals near or inside the crate
Reward calm crate behavior
Practice loading the crate into your vehicle
Walk your dog using both a secure harness and leash
Let a trusted adult practice handling your dog
Make sure the crate still fits comfortably
Discuss severe travel or storm anxiety with your veterinarian ahead of time. Never give a dog human medication or an unfamiliar sedative without veterinary instructions.
Arrange boarding before a storm threatens Pensacola
Boarding can be part of a hurricane plan when a family must travel, evacuate early, assist relatives, or stay somewhere that cannot accept dogs. It should never be a last-minute assumption.
Ask any boarding facility:
Whether it plans to remain open
What happens if the facility must evacuate
Which vaccinations are required
Whether medications can be administered
How owners receive storm updates
Who may pick up the dog
What happens if roads delay your return
Which supplies the facility provides
Cain’s boarding vaccine requirements
Cain’s Dog House requires:
Rabies
Distemper/parvo
Bordetella
Required vaccinations must be completed at least 10 days before boarding. Waiting until a hurricane is approaching may leave too little time to update vaccines or secure a reservation.
Cain’s provides private indoor dog boarding in Pensacola with comfortable suites, one-on-one attention, and multiple daily potty and play breaks.
For boarding information, call 850-478-5154 or view our Pensacola dog boarding page.
Cain’s Dog House is not an emergency shelter. Boarding remains subject to available space, safe operating conditions, staffing, official guidance, and the storm’s projected path.
Prepare for heat after the storm
The danger does not end when the wind stops.
A prolonged Pensacola power outage can leave a home dangerously hot and humid, especially in August and September. Without air conditioning, indoor temperatures can rise quickly and place dogs at risk of heat stress.
During an outage:
Keep your dog in the coolest safe part of the home
Provide constant access to fresh water
Create airflow when it is safe to do so
Keep curtains or blinds closed against direct sunlight
Restrict activity
Take only short bathroom walks
Walk during the coolest available times
Never leave your dog inside a parked vehicle
Relocate to an air-conditioned location when the home cannot remain safe
Watch for signs of heat stress, including:
Heavy or unusually rapid panting
Excessive drooling
Restlessness or anxiety
Weakness or drowsiness
Confusion
Staggering
Vomiting or diarrhea
Abnormally colored gums
Heat stress can progress rapidly. Move the dog to a cooler location and contact an emergency veterinarian immediately when these signs appear.
Keep your dog secured during and after the storm
Bring dogs indoors well before severe weather arrives.
Use a leash every time your dog goes outside, even inside a fenced yard. Wind can damage gates and fencing, and frightened dogs may bolt after loud noises.
After the storm:
Inspect fences before releasing your dog
Watch for broken glass, nails, metal, and sharp debris
Avoid downed power lines
Keep dogs away from damaged buildings
Do not let dogs drink floodwater
Avoid standing water that may contain contamination or wildlife
Maintain identification on your dog at all times
Familiar smells and landmarks may disappear after flooding or heavy damage. Even a dog that normally stays close can become confused.
Review the plan every May
Review your dog’s hurricane plan before the June 1 start of every hurricane season.
Update it whenever you:
Move
Change telephone numbers
Adopt another pet
Change veterinarians
Begin a new medication
Replace your vehicle
Change evacuation destinations
Purchase a different crate
Allow vaccinations to approach expiration
A useful plan is not complicated. It is current, realistic, and ready before Pensacola appears inside a forecast cone.
Prepare now, not when the shelves are empty
Storm preparation is an act of care. Your dog cannot read an evacuation order, pack medication, choose a safe destination, or understand why the lights went out. Your dog depends on you to make those decisions early.
Prepare the supplies. Label the crate. Check the vaccines. Choose where you will go.
Most importantly, take your dog with you.
For information about private indoor dog boarding at Cain’s Dog House, call 850-478-5154 or review our boarding services and vaccine requirements.
Cain’s Dog House 1738 Creighton Road Pensacola, Florida 32504
850-478-5154
