With wildfire season underway, pet owners in northeast British Columbia are being reminded that emergency preparedness plans should include animals as well.
The BC SPCA is sharing tips for pet guardians as part of Emergency Preparedness Week, citing concerns about increased wildfire activity following unseasonably warm and dry conditions across much of the province.
The organization recommends preparing a pet‑specific emergency go‑bag with enough food and water to last one to two weeks, along with medications, carriers or crates, vaccination records, proof of ownership and other basic supplies.
Pet owners are also encouraged to practice loading animals into carriers ahead of time to reduce stress during an evacuation. The SPCA says crate training can make emergencies less frightening for pets and easier for owners to manage.
Ensuring identification information is up to date is another key step. The BC SPCA advises checking microchip or tattoo records and confirming contact details through the BC Pet Registry, which is the province’s centralized pet identification database.
The organization also suggests arranging a trusted backup contact, such as a neighbour, family member or friend who could help gather pets if owners are not home during an emergency.
In past wildfire emergencies, including those affecting the Okanagan and Shuswap regions in 2023, the BC SPCA provided emergency boarding, in‑field animal checks and distributed hundreds of kilograms of pet food to displaced families.
While wildfire season presents obvious risks, the SPCA says pet preparedness is important year‑round, regardless of the type of emergency.