In the event of a disaster, you must try to remain as calm as you can. Panic will cloud your better judgment and put you in a position that could harm your dog, your self, or both you and your dog together. Here’s how to administer dog help during a disaster without putting anyone else at risk.

1. Locate the safest places to be during every type of disaster. During a tornado, you and your dog should be under something heavy and protective. During an earthquake, the two of you should be under a door frame. During a flood, you both should climb to the highest level if you cannot evacuate an area altogether.
2. If your dog isn’t with you during a disaster, you’ll need to find him. Call the dog’s name and wait for her to come to you. Never leave a safe area in search for your dog since you might inadvertently discover the horrible reason she didn’t respond, and fail to escape the same fate yourself! Many people loose their dogs because they must evacuate a disaster zone quickly and simply can't find their dog. Therefore, as soon as the posibility of evacuation is called upon by the authorities, be sure to find and secure your dog.
3. Before evacuating your home with your dog, secure your dog with a leash or inside a crate. If you haven’t already placed these items by each exit, now is the time to do so.
4. Leaving your dog behind is not a good idea, and chances are the dog won't survive, but if you absolutely must evacuate your home without your dog there are a few things you can do to increase your dog's survival prospects. Leave him in a windowless area with a fresh bowl of water. Make sure this area doesn’t contain a lot of heavy things that can fall down onto the dog (like bookshelves, big mirrors, etc.). And make sure this area provides stable high-placed items to climb onto in the event of a flood. Any type of permanent shelving attached high on the walls can provide protection from flooding waters. As you leave your home, post a big sign on your door that your beloved dog is inside and needs help. Include his name and your cell phone number. If the dog is on medication, include that information too. You can help expedite your dog’s rescue by calling your local animal rescue shelter. It’ll probably be flooded with calls and it might take a while to get through. Just keep trying so that it can send appropriate dog help when it’s available.