Our friends at Petfinder.com have released this very useful and informative PSA graphic to help educate pet owners on the need for planning ahead of a natural disaster.

Other tips include:

• Putting together an emergency bag (I just use my pet's crates) that consists of a 3-day supply of canned food, a towel, a box of plastic bags, a disposable litter box, pet-friendly antibiotic ointment as well as a sandwich bag containing a note card with your pet's name, species and breed, sex, fur color or any markings, age, microchip identification number, and a current photo of you with your pet.
• Look in advance for emergency shelter that accepts animals (not all of them do).
• If you need to evacuate and cannot take your pets with you, make sure all your pets are indoors and can move freely around the house, keep the toilet lid up and the bathroom door braced so they can drink if their water gets low, leave a note in a visible area with your pets' names and your contact info.
• Visit ready.gov for more information on preparing for your pets in a disaster.