Emergency Response | Best Friends Animal Society

Emergencies can happen at any time. Being ready is critical.

Hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, disease — emergencies can take many forms, and strike at any time. Being prepared for these disasters, and knowing what to do when they strike, is essential to keeping pets and people safe, and together, through whatever comes.

Get the help you need

Find the answers you need for common questions related to emergency response.

Emergency Preparedness Toolkit & Resources

Use this toolkit and templates to educate your team and plan for effective emergency response.

Crates being prepped for disaster relief transports.

Infectious Disease Outbreak Response Playbook

Learn how to prepare and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.

Shelter employee in gloves holding up a kitten

Emergency Planning for Pets and People

Explore expert guidance about emergency planning that protect people and pets.

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Pet Preparedness for Your Community

Empower your community and share this guide so every household in your area has a plan ready.

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Emergency Response

67 results

Resources & Tools

Build a Plan to Keep Pets Safe in Emergencies

The following are simple but important steps you can take to ensure the health and safety of your pets in the case of an emergency.

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“Ready or Not, here it Comes"

“Ready or Not, here it Comes"

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Resources & Tools

Infectious Disease Outbreak Response Playbook

Infectious Disease Outbreak Response Playbook

Tabby kitten being held

The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 145: Preparing for emergencies

We know that planning for the unknown can be a challenge. That’s why we’re excited to share one of our newest resources, our Emergency Preparedness Toolkit.

A person rescuing a dog during the aftermath of a natural disaster

Acknowledging dispatch staff in honor of ACO Appreciation Week

Acknowledging dispatch staff in honor of ACO Appreciation Week

An animal services officer holding a dog in an animal shelter

Resources & Tools

Emergency Preparedness Toolkit

Emergency Preparedness Toolkit & Resources

Two people moving a dog in a crate during an emergency response operation

The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 125: National Preparedness Month

Making landfall five years ago today, Hurricane Harvey was one of the most destructive storms in American history, but its strength was not an aberration. It was a sign o...

Two people care for a small puppy rescued during the response to Hurricane Harvey

The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 114: The 2021 Lifesaving Dataset

When saving shelter pets' lives, you can't know what's working or not if you're not tracking your efforts. So in 2016, Best Friends began an ambitious project to create t...

two puppies in an animal shelter

The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 91: Serving both ends of the leash in Spokane

When there is a pet in need, there is often a person in need. That intersection of people and pets is at the heart of a new partnership in the state of Washington.

Puppy held by a woman

Webinars & Videos

COVID-19: Fundraising During a Crisis webinar

COVID-19: Fundraising During a Crisis webinar

dog in front of rainbow wall

Webinars & Videos

Vlog Ep. 32

Interview with Jacksonville Humane: how to maintain lifesaving efforts during the pandemic

White dog lying in grass yawning with black dog lying behind

Webinars & Videos

Vlog Ep. 31

How large city rescues are adapting during the pandemic

Seven kittens sitting together

The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 73: It’s not back to business as usual for animal welfare

In an unprecedented year, 2020 brought about a lot of change and many new opportunities for lifesaving innovation. Many communities across the country implemented lifesav...

woman holding neonatal puppy

Keeping Adjusted Shelter Practices Post-Pandemic

Making the Case for Keeping Adjusted Shelter Practices Post-Pandemic

Orange kitten lying next to black kitten with paw on black kitten's head

The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 71: Compassionate Badassery (rebroadcast)

This week’s episode begins with a simple question. How do you feel? We hear the term “new normal” an awful lot right now as the world is continuing to ease COVID-related ...

a cat and a dog with an animal caregiver

Resources & Tools

COVID Changes Worth Keeping in Place

COVID Policy and Procedure Changes Worth Keeping in Place

German shepherd mix dog sitting on round dog bed

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About the Best Friends Network

The network is a free community of over 5,000 animal welfare organizations, including shelters, rescue groups, spay/neuter groups, transport groups, and other support organizations.

The Best Friends Network is your support system in your journey to save the lives of dogs and cats in your communities. Network partners gain access to exclusive challenges, grants, resources, and dedicated support.

Connect with partners across the country, access proven strategies, and collaborate to increase lifesaving nationwide.

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Meet the team

The Best Friends Network team is your lifeline to support for your organization, collaboration with other network partners and connection with Best Friends experts, resources, funding opportunities and so much more.

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