When the Big Wind Blows: Is Your Pet Prepared for The 2025 Hurricane Season in Crestview, FL?

What Every Wonder Family Needs to Know To Get Their Pet Prepared Before the Big Wind Blows

It’s JUNE 1ST, Time to get yourself and your Pet Prepared for hurricane season 2025! If you’re new to Florida—or just haven’t lived through the legendary “cone of uncertainty” yet—pull up a chair. This is your go-to guide for keeping your Wonder Pets safe, calm, and ready before, during, and after a hurricane. Because while we do love a good hurricane party (who doesn’t?), your dog’s crate is not where you want to be improvising a plan when the wind starts to howl.

So, whether you’re stationed here for the military, newly transplanted to Crestview, or just never had to prep for a storm with pets before, this guide is for you. Let’s get Wonder Prepared.

First Things First: Hurricane Season is Real

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and yes—it really does sneak up on people. Especially if you’re still getting used to the idea that the weather can shift from “sunny beach day” to “batten down the hatches” in 48 hours. The time to get ready is now, not when the shelves at Walmart are empty and your neighbor has panic-bought every last can of Vienna sausages.

Pet-Specific Hurricane Supplies (and Why You Need Each One)

This is not just a checklist—it’s a survival plan. Your dog or cat doesn’t need 14 flavors of hurricane snacks, but they do need:

1. Water – A Lot of It

One to two gallons per pet, per day, for at least 3 to 5 days. Why? Because when utilities go out, your tap may not be safe or functional. Your dog can’t drink Capri Suns, and you don’t want to be rationing sips from your Brita filter.

Wonder Tip: For pets you can refill used gallon jugs or soda bottles during the season or well before and store in your, (bonus if you can store in the freezer to help keep things cold). This avoids the need to buy water for your pup.

2. Pet Food – At Least 3 to 5 Days’ Worth

Stick to what they’re used to. A stressed-out tummy + brand-new food = cleanup you don’t want to deal with in a power outage. Make sure it’s shelf-stable and stored in waterproof containers or Ziploc bags.

Wonder Tip: if you prep frozen Kongs or chews now and stash them in the freezer. They make great calming tools when the thunder rolls (cue the Garth Brooks soundtrack).

3. Medications

If your pet has prescriptions—including anxiety meds—make sure you have at least a week’s supply on hand. Storms disrupt pharmacy shipments, vet offices may close, and the last thing you want is a withdrawal-induced meltdown from your already-nervous Chihuahua.

4. Collar, Leash, and a Proper ID Tag

Yes, even if your pet is microchipped. After a storm, scanners may be unavailable, and shelters may be overwhelmed. An ID tag with your name, number, and city is the fastest way to reunite with your pet if they get loose.

Wonder Tip: Just because you have a fenced yard doesn’t mean you’ll still have a fenced yard after a hurricane. Always check fences and be prepared to use a leash to take your pup out or have a portable play yard.

5. Crate or Carrier

Whether you’re evacuating or hunkering down, your pet should be able to safely and calmly rest in a crate. This is non-negotiable for shelters, hotels, and sometimes even family members’ homes. Plus, it’s the safest way to transport and contain pets if things get dicey. The last thing you want is to have your pet stressed out by being put in a dog crate so get them used to it early. You don’t need to use it all the time but being comfortable in a crate will go a long way towards making a storm (and the 4th of july!) less stressful.

Not crate trained yet? We can help. But start now, not when the storm is 48 hours out.

6. Vaccination Records

To enter any pet-friendly hurricane shelter in Florida, you must bring proof of current vaccines. This includes rabies, distemper, and Bordetella. Make copies. Keep them in a zippered bag or upload them to your phone. You don’t want to be that person waving a vet appointment reminder at the shelter coordinator.

7. Pet First Aid Kit

Include basics like gauze, antiseptic wipes, tweezers (for debris), and something for minor wounds. Throw in some Benadryl if your vet says it’s safe. You don’t want to guess dosages in the dark.

8. Waste Supplies

Litter, bags, paper towels, pet-safe disinfectant. If you’re staying in a hotel or friend’s house, this is non-negotiable. Even if you’re at home, sewer lines may be down. Be ready.

9. Comfort Items & Enrichment Toys

A Kong, a favorite chew, or even a soft blanket that smells like home can help ease your pet’s nerves. Just like you, they need a distraction from the chaos outside. So no, you can’t pack the antlers and leave their blanket behind. And yes—we said chews, not your shoes.

Wonder-Level Training to Do Before the Storm

Let’s get real: storm prep isn’t just about stockpiling supplies. You need to prep your pet’s skills too. A few behaviors could make or break your evacuation plan:

1. Crate Training

If your dog only associates the crate with the vet or punishment, hurricane week is going to be extra stressful. Now is the time to build positive associations—think meals, treats, and naps in the crate.

2. Waiting at Doorways

Trust us, your pet bolting out the door during a storm is your worst-case scenario. Training a solid “wait” at thresholds is one of the best storm safety behaviors you can teach.

3. Leash Manners

If fences are gone and potty breaks must happen on-leash, you’ll be glad you worked on polite leash walking. Pulling through puddles and debris? Not the adventure you want.

Where to Go: Shelters and Evacuation Options

If evacuation is recommended, do not leave your pet behind. Not only is it cruel—it’s now illegal in Florida to abandon pets during a natural disaster. And no, a pet sitter cannot stay behind in a mandatory evacuation zone either.

Professional pet sitting companies, like Wonder Pups, have very clear policies. We can only visit while conditions are safe and roadways passable. 

That’s why we ask you, upfront, on our intake forms:
Do you want your pet removed from your home if a storm is coming? Or do you prefer we shelter them in place? Your instructions help us plan—so you’re not scrambling at the last minute.

Local Resources to Bookmark:

• • Okaloosa County Emergency Management:
    https://myokaloosa.com/ps/emergency-management

• • Shelter Info Sheet (PDF):
    Okaloosa County Shelters 2023

• • Panhandle Animal Welfare Society (PAWS):
    https://www.paws-shelter.org/

These agencies will provide the most up-to-date info on which shelters allow pets, what you’ll need to bring, and how early you need to check in.

A Note About “Hurricane Parties”…

If you’re from Florida, you already know the party rules like making sure you’re using disposible cups and keeping track of where Jim Cantore is so you know how close to trouble you really are. 

Your pets don’t care about party lights or candlelit card games though. They care about routine, calm, and safety. Keep their world as steady as possible, even if you’re cracking open the storm snacks a little early (DON’T EAT THE HURRICANE SNACKS TOO EARLY!).  Make sure your hurricane party supplies are kept out of reach and are stored safely though. Especially Candles and alcohol, (or whatever other substance you may have to help you relax). Hurricanes are stressful enough, you don’t want to add a sick pet or a small fire to the equation here. 

Questions to Ask Your Pet Sitter or Boarding Facility

If you’re hiring someone to care for your pets during hurricane season (or if you’re going to be out of town), don’t assume they have a plan. Ask:

• • What is your hurricane or emergency protocol?

• • Do you evacuate with pets, or shelter in place?

• • What happens if I can’t get home due to road closures?

• • Do you require an emergency contact nearby?

• • Do you ask clients to provide written storm instructions in advance?

At Wonder Pups, we do. We ask every Wonder Family to tell us now, not later, what your preferences are during hurricanes or tropical storms. That way, when the big wind blows, everyone knows what to do—and nobody’s panicking.

Check out some other questions you may want to ask a pet sitter HERE

Final Thoughts from the Wonder Team

This isn’t the kind of blog you read once and forget. Bookmark it. Share it. Print it and keep it with your emergency kit. Hurricane season doesn’t care if it’s your first summer here, or your fifteenth. The more you prepare now, the less you’ll scramble when the weather turns.

Let’s keep your Wonder Pets safe, calm, and cared for—no matter what the forecast brin