Your pets can be affected by wildfire smoke. If you feel the effects of smoke, they probably do, too!

Smoke can irritate your pet’s eyes and respiratory tract. Animals with heart or lung disease and older pets are 

especially at risk from smoke and should be closely watched during all periods of poor air quality.

Know the Signs

If your animals have any of these signs, call your 

veterinarian: 

• Coughing or gagging

• Red or watery eyes, nasal discharge,

inflammation of throat or mouth or

reluctance to eat hard foods

• Trouble breathing, including open-mouth

breathing, more noise when breathing, or

fast breathing

• Fatigue or weakness, disorientation, uneven

gait, stumbling

• Reduced appetite or thirst

Recommended Actions

Even if the fire danger is not imminent, high levels 

of smoke may force you to stay indoors for a long

time or even to evacuate. Reduce your pet’s 

exposure to smoke as you would reduce your own.

Before the fire season:

• Whether you have a central air conditioning

system or a room unit, buy high efficiency

filters you can use to capture fine particles

from smoke.

• Think about creating a clean room in your

house with a portable air cleaner.

When smoke is present:

• Keep pets indoors as much as you can, with

doors and windows closed. Bring outdoor

pets into a room with good ventilation, like

a utility room, garage, or bathroom. Move 

potentially dangerous products, such as 

pesticides, out of the reach of pets.

• Smoke is especially tough on your pet

birds. Keep them inside when smoke is

present.

• Keep indoor air clean: do not fry or broil

foods, vacuum, burn candles, use a

fireplace or woodstove, or smoke tobacco

products. These activities add particles to

your home.

• Spend less time outdoors and limit physical

activities when it is smoky. For example,

when it’s smoky, it’s not a good time for

you and your pet to go for a run. Let dogs

and cats outside only for brief bathroom

breaks if air quality alerts are in effect.
Be ready to evacuate: Include your pets in your 

planning. Have each pet permanently identified, for 

example with a microchip. Know where they will be 

allowed to go if there is an evacuation – not all 

emergency shelters accept pets. Know where your 

pets might hide when stressed, so you won’t have 

to spend time looking for them in an emergency. 

Get pets used to their carriers and have your family 

practice evacuating with your pets. Covering

carriers with a sheet during transport may calm a 

nervous pet.

If you must leave your pets behind, never

tie them up. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • EPA-452/F-19-002

For more information: 

• Get air quality information: Check your local news, the airnow.gov website, or your state air quality agency’s

website.

• Reduce Your Smoke Exposure fact sheet: https://www3.epa.gov/airnow/smoke_fires/reduce-your-smokeexposure.pdf

• Learn more about wildfire smoke: Wildfire Smoke Guide for Public Health Officials: https://airnow.gov/

• American Veterinary Medical Association. Get more tips and information on caring for pets and livestock

during a wildfire: https://www.avma.org/public/EmergencyCare/Pages/Wildfire-Smoke-and-Animals.aspx

Evacuation Kit

Prepare a pet Evacuation Kit. Assemble 

the kit well before any emergency and 

store it in an easy-to-carry, waterproof 

container close to an exit.

• Food, water, and medicine for 7 to 10

days

• Sanitation and first aid supplies

• Important documents, such as:

identification papers including proof of

ownership; vaccination records;

medical records and medication

instructions; emergency contact list,

including veterinarian and pharmacy;

and a photo of your pet (preferably

with you)

• Travel supplies, such as: crate or pet

carrier labeled with your contact

information; extra collar/harness with

ID tags and leash; flashlight, extra

batteries; and muzzle

• Comfort items, such as favorite toys

and treats, and an extra blanket or

familiar bedding