In the event of a disaster, animal and pet evacuation in New Jersey will be coordinated by county and local emergency management agencies. Please check with your local emergency management agency for information on pet friendly evacuation shelters in your county. Local and state health and safety regulations do not permit the Red Cross to allow pets in disaster shelters. (Service animals are allowed in Red Cross shelters.). It may be difficult to find shelter for your animals in the midst of a disaster, so plan ahead. Keep a list of pet friendly hotels in your area in case you have to evacuate and your local shelter is full.
New Jersey Office of Emergency Management – Pet and Animal Emergency Planning
Public shelters cannot accept pets unless they are ADA service animals, so you must plan accordingly.
New Jersey Dept. of Agriculture Animal Emergency
Find resources for before, during and after disasters in New Jersey. You will be able to locate animal shelters, veterinary hospitals, fairgrounds, feedstores, Offices of Emergency Management, racetracks/show facilities, and Rutgers Cooperative Extension offices.
New Jersey Dept. of Agriculture Animal Emergency – CART
A County Animal Response Team (CART) is a group of volunteers and other entities, such as government agencies and the private sector, with resources and personnel to respond to animal issues in disasters. The CART is organized under each County Office of Emergency Management and is based on the principles for the Incident Command System developed by FEMA. The CART plans, collaborates, and trains with other responder entities to provide a coordinated disaster response. Check this site for New Jersey CARTs.
Atlantic County Office of Emergency Preparedness
Atlantic County – Disaster Planning For Your Pet
Emergency public shelters are not permitted to accept pets due to health and safety concerns. Your local veterinarian and the Atlantic County Office of Emergency Preparedness may help you find other options for your pet. For more information about helping your pet survive a disaster, please contact the Atlantic County Animal Shelter at (609) 485-2345.
Cape May County Office of Emergency Management
Cape May County – Pet Evacuation Trailer
In 2012 the County unveiled one of the 1st ever pet evacuation trailer. This trailer is a comprehensive public safety initiative including almost 30 installed cages that can be utilized in an evacuation or emergency. The trailer is equipped to fit cats and dogs of numerous sizes and is fully prepared and customized for the comfort and safety of pets with climate control, running water, a veterinary work station, and a generator hook up. In the event of an evacuation, pet owners of dogs and cats are instructed to travel with their pets to the County’s designated shelter. The trailer will be stationed next to the shelter for pet owners to place their dogs or cats in during an emergency.
Hunterdon County – CART (County Animal Response Team)
The Hunterdon County Division of Emergency Management has an animal disaster response trailer containing necessary resources to quickly establish a temporary animal shelter in times of emergency. This trailer will enable Hunterdon County’s Animal Response Team (CART) to train and exercise and be ready to respond in times of disaster.
Monmouth County Emergency Management
Toms River Office of Emergency Management
