PET SAFE SOP
Animal Shelter Emergency Communication Plan
How to Keep Staff, Partners, Foster Caregivers and the Public Informed During a Disaster
Last reviewed: September 2026
https://petsafesop.com/resources/animal-shelter-emergency-communication-plan
Animal Shelter Emergency Communication Plan
How to Keep Staff, Partners, Foster Caregivers and the Public Informed During a Disaster
Overview
During an emergency, communication is part of shelter operations.
Staff may need to know whether to report to work. Foster caregivers may need instructions. Receiving partners may need to confirm capacity. The public may need to know whether the shelter is open, evacuating, accepting animals or asking for help. Emergency officials may need an operational contact.
At the same time, normal communication systems may be disrupted.
An animal shelter emergency communication plan helps determine who needs information, who is authorized to provide it, which communication methods will be used, what happens when those methods fail, and how important messages will be documented.
This guide helps animal-welfare organizations plan those decisions before an emergency occurs.
Last reviewed: September 2026
About this guide
This is an educational planning resource, not a regulatory or compliance checklist. Communication needs vary by organization, community, hazard and jurisdiction.
Follow instructions from local emergency management, public safety agencies and other appropriate authorities during an emergency.
When life safety is at risk, contact 911 or the appropriate local emergency service.
Pet Safe SOP does not replace emergency services, official emergency instructions, veterinary judgment, legal advice or regulatory requirements.
Communication Is Part of Emergency Operations
Emergency communication is more than public relations.
During a disaster, communication can affect staffing, evacuation, animal movement, partner coordination, emergency fostering, supplies, facility operations and public safety.
A shelter may need to answer questions such as:
- Should employees report to the facility?
- Is the shelter open to the public?
- Are animals being evacuated?
- Can a receiving organization still accept animals?
- Are emergency foster homes needed?
- Has the shelter's normal phone number stopped working?
- Where should transport drivers report?
- Has a facility condition changed?
- When will the next update be issued?
Waiting until an emergency occurs to answer these questions can create confusion at the exact time clear information matters most.
A communication plan establishes the people, methods and backup procedures the organization intends to use before normal operations are disrupted. For the larger plan these decisions belong to, see Animal Shelter Emergency Plan: What Should Be Included?
Planning principle
People should know where official shelter information comes from before the emergency begins.
Know Who Needs Information
Animal shelters communicate with several different audiences during an emergency. Those audiences may need different information.
Do not assume one message should automatically be sent to everyone.
Internal Team
Examples:
- Shelter director or owner
- Managers
- Staff
- Volunteers
- Veterinary personnel
- Animal control personnel when applicable
Typical information may include staffing instructions, reporting locations, facility conditions, animal-care priorities and operational changes.
Emergency & Operational Partners
Examples:
- Emergency management
- Law enforcement
- Fire and EMS
- Animal control
- Receiving shelters and rescues
- Veterinary partners
- Transportation partners
- Vendors and suppliers
- Government partners
Typical information may include facility status, resource needs, evacuation plans, receiving capacity, transportation timing and operational contacts.
Foster Caregivers
Foster caregivers may need:
- emergency contact information
- evacuation instructions
- veterinary instructions
- check-in expectations
- information about shelter closures
- alternate contact methods
- instructions if they can no longer safely care for the foster animal
The Public
This may include:
- adopters
- pet owners
- people searching for lost pets
- people seeking surrender services
- volunteers
- donors
- emergency foster applicants
- community members
News Media & Community Information Sources
This may include:
- television
- radio
- newspapers
- local news websites
- community alert networks
- other trusted local information channels
Different audiences may need different instructions. A staff reporting message should not automatically become a public social-media post, and an internal operational detail may not belong in a media statement.
The CLEAR Emergency Communication Framework
About CLEAR
CLEAR is a Pet Safe SOP communication planning framework. It is not a FEMA, CDC, ASPCA, Best Friends or government standard.
C — Confirm the Facts
Before communicating, identify:
- What do we know?
- What has been confirmed?
- What remains uncertain?
- What has changed?
- What should not yet be stated as fact?
During rapidly changing emergencies, it is appropriate to say that information is still being confirmed.
Do not fill information gaps with guesses.
L — List the Audiences
Ask: Who needs this information now?
Possibilities include staff, foster caregivers, emergency officials, receiving partners, transport teams, volunteers, pet owners, the public and news media.
Not every message belongs with every audience.
E — Explain What People Should Do
Emergency messages should help people understand the next appropriate action.
Examples:
- report to the alternate location
- do not come to the facility
- contact the emergency number
- prepare animals for transport
- confirm receiving capacity
- apply to foster
- use the alternate phone number
- wait for the next official update
Avoid vague calls for help when a specific request can be made.
A — Activate Primary and Backup Channels
Use the planned communication method.
If it fails, move to the next planned method rather than improvising without a backup structure.
Examples may include:
- phone
- text
- staff messaging system
- social media
- website
- radio
- partner communication system
- designated physical check-in location
These are examples, not requirements.
R — Repeat, Revise and Record
Emergencies change.
Important information may need to be:
- repeated
- corrected
- updated
- replaced
- confirmed
- documented
Tell people when possible when the next update is expected.
Record consequential operational messages for later reference and After-Action Review.
Staff Emergency Communication
Staff should know how emergency instructions will reach them before an emergency occurs.
The plan should address:
- Who contacts staff?
- What is the primary communication method?
- What is the backup?
- Where should staff look for the current official instruction?
- Should staff report to work?
- What if the facility cannot be reached?
- Where is the alternate reporting location?
- Who should staff contact if they cannot report?
- How are shift changes communicated?
- How will overnight personnel receive updates?
- What happens if phone or internet service fails?
One source of current instructions
Consider identifying a primary location or communication channel for current staff instructions so employees are not trying to reconcile conflicting information from multiple group chats, texts or social-media posts.
Emergency Partner Communication
A contact list is useful, but emergency planning should go beyond storing phone numbers.
Conditions affecting partner organizations may also change during the disaster.
When relying on another organization, consider confirming:
- Are you currently operational?
- Can you still receive animals?
- How many animals can you receive?
- Which species can you accept?
- Are there medical or behavioral limitations?
- When can animals arrive?
- Where should transport vehicles report?
- Who is the receiving contact?
- Has anything changed since the agreement or plan was created?
Do not assume a partner can provide the same assistance during an emergency that it could provide during normal operations.
Planning animal movement? Read the Animal Shelter Evacuation Planning Guide.
Foster Caregiver Communication
Foster caregivers become part of the shelter's distributed animal-care network.
During an emergency, foster caregivers should know how to receive official shelter instructions and how to reach the shelter if normal communication fails.
Consider providing:
- primary shelter emergency contact
- backup contact
- veterinary emergency procedure
- check-in expectations
- evacuation instructions when applicable
- alternate communication method
- information about supply pickup
- instructions for reporting a missing animal
- instructions if the caregiver must evacuate
- instructions if the caregiver can no longer safely house the animal
Do not place passwords, alarm codes, gate codes or other sensitive credentials into general emergency communication documents.
Building an emergency foster program? Read the Animal Shelter Emergency Foster Planning Guide.
Public Emergency Communication
During an emergency, the public may need simple answers quickly.
Whenever applicable, public updates should explain:
STATUS
What is happening with shelter operations?
ACTION
What should the reader do?
CONTACT
Where can the reader obtain help or additional information?
NEXT UPDATE
When should people expect more information?
STATUS → ACTION → CONTACT → NEXT UPDATE is a Pet Safe SOP message-building format. It is not an official government framework.
Example:
STATUS: [Organization] will be closed to public intake beginning [date/time] because of [hazard/condition].
ACTION: Please do not bring animals to the facility unless instructed by shelter or emergency personnel.
CONTACT: For [urgent animal-control/emergency issue], contact [phone/agency].
NEXT UPDATE: We expect to provide another operational update by [time/date].
Public information may be distributed through more than one channel, including the organization's website, social-media accounts, email, signage, local news outlets and partner organizations.
Do not assume social media will be available or sufficient during every emergency.
Working With News Media
Local media can help distribute urgent shelter information quickly, particularly when an organization needs emergency foster homes, donations of specific supplies, information about changed services or public safety information.
Before an emergency, identify:
- primary spokesperson
- backup spokesperson
- spokesperson contact information
- where interviews can safely occur
- who verifies operational facts before they are released
When communicating:
- distinguish confirmed information from information still being verified
- use plain language
- explain what the public should do
- correct important errors when necessary
- avoid speculation
- provide the next expected update when possible
If a question cannot yet be answered, it is appropriate to say that the information is still being confirmed.
Plan for Communication Failure
Disasters can interrupt the same systems organizations normally depend on.
Cellular networks may be congested. Internet service may fail. Shelter software may be unavailable. Electricity may be lost.
FEMA continuity guidance uses the concept of PACE communications planning:
Primary → Alternate → Contingency → Emergency
The purpose is to identify multiple communication methods in advance and establish the order in which the organization will move through them if the preferred method is unavailable.
PACE is an established continuity-planning concept described in FEMA guidance. Pet Safe SOP did not create PACE.
| Level | Shelter Example |
|---|---|
| Primary | Normal phone/text or staff messaging system |
| Alternate | Email or secondary messaging method |
| Contingency | Radio or designated partner communication method |
| Emergency | Prearranged physical check-in location or other organization-specific procedure |
These are examples only. Shelters should select realistic communication methods appropriate to their hazards, location, staff, partners, resources and available infrastructure.
Whatever backup method is selected should be understood by the people expected to use it.
Communicating Uncertainty, Changes and Rumors
Emergency information changes.
A shelter may initially know only part of what is happening.
Good emergency communication does not require pretending uncertainty does not exist.
When appropriate:
- state what is known
- state what remains unknown
- explain what is being done
- provide the next action
- say when another update is expected
If important incorrect information is circulating, correct the consequential error without unnecessarily repeating or amplifying every rumor.
Example:
CORRECTION
We are aware of information circulating that [brief description].
Here is what we can confirm:
[Confirmed information]
[Action people should take]
We expect to provide another update by [time/date].
Not every incorrect social-media comment requires an organizational response. Focus on misinformation that could affect safety, animal welfare or emergency operations.
Communication Needs Change With the Emergency
Hurricane or Tropical Storm
Possible communication needs:
- operating status
- staffing instructions
- emergency foster requests
- evacuation preparation
- receiving-partner confirmation
- closure/reopening
- changing storm conditions
Preparing for hurricane season? Read the Animal Shelter Hurricane Preparedness Guide.
Fire / Smoke
Possible communication needs:
- immediate evacuation instructions
- emergency services contact
- staff accountability
- alternate animal location
- facility closure
- reunification or animal-location information when appropriate
Power Failure
Possible communication needs:
- staff instructions
- facility operating status
- alternate phone/contact information
- vendor or generator support
- critical-system status
Water / Sewer Failure
Possible communication needs:
- operational changes
- animal-care adjustments
- supply requests
- closure or relocation decisions
Infectious Disease Outbreak
Possible communication needs:
- staff instructions
- biosecurity procedures
- intake/adoption/service changes
- foster instructions
- veterinary coordination
- public explanation of changed operations
This guide does not provide veterinary diagnosis or treatment instructions.
Security Threat / Violence
Possible communication needs:
- immediate life-safety instructions
- lockdown or evacuation information
- emergency services
- restricted public communication while the incident is active
This guide does not provide tactical law-enforcement instructions. Follow instructions from law enforcement and emergency services.
Mass Intake / Capacity Emergency
Possible communication needs:
- staffing
- foster recruitment
- partner assistance
- specific supply requests
- service changes
- public instructions
Ready-to-Customize Emergency Messages
Before using a template
These templates are starting points. Organizations should customize them to the actual emergency and communicate only confirmed information.
Template 1 — Shelter Closure
SERVICE UPDATE
Template 2 — Delayed Opening
OPERATIONS UPDATE
Template 3 — Evacuation Underway
SHELTER OPERATIONS UPDATE
Planning the evacuation itself? Read the Animal Shelter Evacuation Planning Guide.
Template 4 — Emergency Fosters Needed
EMERGENCY FOSTERS NEEDED
For the complete foster workflow and additional templates, use the Animal Shelter Emergency Foster Planning Guide.
Template 5 — Phone or Internet Outage
COMMUNICATION UPDATE
Template 6 — Specific Supply Request
EMERGENCY SUPPLY REQUEST
Specific requests can be easier for the community and partners to act on than a general statement that the shelter "needs everything."
Template 7 — Reopening / Service Restoration
SERVICE UPDATE
Template 8 — Correction / Rumor Response
CORRECTION
Keep a Communication Record
During a significant emergency, documenting consequential messages can help the organization reconstruct what happened later.
A simple communication log may record:
- date
- time
- audience
- message or update
- communication channel
- person who sent it
- confirmation or notes
This can help answer questions such as:
- When were staff notified?
- When did the shelter announce a closure?
- Which receiving partner confirmed capacity?
- When was the emergency foster request issued?
- When did the alternate phone number become active?
- What information was available at that point in the emergency?
Communication records can also support the organization's After-Action Review.
Communication Continues During Recovery
Communication does not end when the immediate hazard passes.
Recovery messages may need to address:
- reopening
- changed hours
- restored services
- services still unavailable
- animal locations
- foster return instructions
- partner demobilization
- supply needs
- volunteer needs
- follow-up work
- where future updates will appear
Review emergency posts and notices after the incident.
Outdated emergency messages should be updated, clearly marked as historical or removed when appropriate so people do not continue following instructions that are no longer current.
After the emergency, ask:
- Which communication methods worked?
- Which failed?
- Did staff know where to find instructions?
- Did partners confirm messages?
- Were public messages understood?
- Did rumors create operational problems?
- Did backup communication methods work?
- What should change before the next emergency?
Reviewing the larger emergency plan? Read the Animal Shelter Disaster Preparedness Checklist.
30 Questions to Review With Your Team
These questions are for discussion and planning.
They are not a score, grade, compliance assessment or certification.
Ticking a box on this page is optional and only lasts while the page is open. Nothing is saved, and every box prints empty.
Authority
Staff
Partners
Foster Caregivers
Public
Media
Backup Communication
Accessibility & Clarity
Documentation
Recovery
There is no target number of checked boxes. Use unanswered questions to identify topics your organization may want to discuss.
Printable Animal Shelter Emergency Communication Toolkit
These worksheets can be printed and completed by hand.
Nothing entered or checked on the web page is saved to Pet Safe SOP.
Tool 1
Animal Shelter Emergency Communication Plan
Organization:
Facility:
Date reviewed:
Reviewed by:
Primary emergency communicator:
Backup emergency communicator:
Primary spokesperson:
Backup spokesperson:
Official public information channel(s):
Primary staff communication method:
Backup staff communication method:
Primary partner communication method:
Backup partner communication method:
Official foster caregiver communication method:
Backup foster communication method:
Who maintains the communication log?
Where is the communication plan stored?
Additional notes:
Tool 2
Who Needs Information?
Audience & Contact Map
Leadership
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Staff
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Volunteers
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Veterinary team
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Emergency management
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Fire/EMS
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Law enforcement
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Animal control
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Receiving shelters/rescues
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Veterinary partners
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Transportation partners
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Foster caregivers
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Vendors/suppliers
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
News media
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Public/community
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
Other
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
What They Need to Know:
Primary Channel:
| Audience | Primary Contact | Backup Contact | What They Need to Know | Primary Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leadership | ||||
| Staff | ||||
| Volunteers | ||||
| Veterinary team | ||||
| Emergency management | ||||
| Fire/EMS | ||||
| Law enforcement | ||||
| Animal control | ||||
| Receiving shelters/rescues | ||||
| Veterinary partners | ||||
| Transportation partners | ||||
| Foster caregivers | ||||
| Vendors/suppliers | ||||
| News media | ||||
| Public/community | ||||
| Other |
Tool 3
PACE Communication Backup Plan
PACE — Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency — is a continuity-planning concept used in FEMA guidance. Select methods appropriate to your own organization.
Primary
Method:
Used for:
Who uses it:
Alternate
Method:
When to switch:
Who uses it:
Contingency
Method:
When to switch:
Who uses it:
Emergency
Method/procedure:
When to use it:
Who needs to know it:
If all normal electronic communication is unavailable, where should staff obtain instructions?
Tool 4
Staff Emergency Notification Plan
Primary staff notification method:
Backup method:
Alternate reporting location:
Who issues instructions:
Who confirms staff availability:
Row 1
Name:
Role:
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
Notification Confirmed:
Row 2
Name:
Role:
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
Notification Confirmed:
Row 3
Name:
Role:
Primary Contact:
Backup Contact:
Notification Confirmed:
The printed version includes 12 rows.
| Name | Role | Primary Contact | Backup Contact | Notification Confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Instructions if staff cannot reach the facility:
Tool 5
Emergency Partner Confirmation Log
Do not assume previously planned assistance remains available during the emergency. Confirm important operational details when conditions change.
Row 1
Date/Time:
Partner:
Contact:
Operational?:
Assistance/Capacity Confirmed:
Next Check:
Notes:
Row 2
Date/Time:
Partner:
Contact:
Operational?:
Assistance/Capacity Confirmed:
Next Check:
Notes:
Row 3
Date/Time:
Partner:
Contact:
Operational?:
Assistance/Capacity Confirmed:
Next Check:
Notes:
The printed version includes 12 rows.
| Date/Time | Partner | Contact | Operational? | Assistance/Capacity Confirmed | Next Check | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tool 6
Emergency Message Builder
Use the Pet Safe SOP STATUS → ACTION → CONTACT → NEXT UPDATE format:
Status
What is happening?
Action
What should people do?
Contact
Where can they obtain help or more information?
Next Update
When will another update be provided?
Confirmed facts:
Information still being verified:
Audience:
StaffFoster caregiversPartnersPublicMediaOther:
Channels:
WebsiteSocial mediaEmailPhone/textNews mediaSignagePartner networkOther:
Approved/sent by:
Date/time:
Tool 7
Emergency Communication Log
Row 1
Date:
Time:
Audience:
Message / Update:
Channel:
Sent By:
Confirmation / Notes:
Row 2
Date:
Time:
Audience:
Message / Update:
Channel:
Sent By:
Confirmation / Notes:
Row 3
Date:
Time:
Audience:
Message / Update:
Channel:
Sent By:
Confirmation / Notes:
The printed version includes 15 rows.
| Date | Time | Audience | Message / Update | Channel | Sent By | Confirmation / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Communication issues to review after the emergency:
Turn Your Planning Into an Emergency Plan
Pet Safe SOP helps animal shelters organize emergency planning information, operational procedures, hazard guidance, Offline Kits, printed emergency documents and emergency-response workflows in one place.
Sources & Further Reading
This guide was developed using emergency communication, continuity and animal-welfare emergency preparedness guidance from established public agencies and animal-welfare organizations.
The Pet Safe SOP CLEAR framework, STATUS → ACTION → CONTACT → NEXT UPDATE format, planning questions, worksheets and sample messages are original Pet Safe SOP educational tools informed by those broader principles. They are not presented as government standards.
CDC — Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication (CERC)
Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication (CERC)
Guidance on crisis and emergency risk communication, including communication planning, audiences, spokespersons and working with media.
CDC — Public Health Risk Communication
Public Health Risk Communication
Guidance addressing communication when risks and information evolve, including explaining what is known and unknown and addressing consequential inaccurate information.
FEMA — Continuity Guidance Circular
FEMA continuity guidance, which discusses continuity communications and PACE (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency) planning.
ASPCApro — Animal Shelter Disaster Response Resources
Animal Shelter Disaster Response Resources
Disaster-response resources for animal shelters.
ASPCApro — Sample Plans for Evacuation and Sheltering
Sample Plans for Evacuation and Sheltering
Sample evacuation and sheltering plans for animal-welfare organizations.
Best Friends Animal Society — Emergency Preparedness Toolkit
Emergency Preparedness Toolkit
Emergency-preparedness resources for animal-welfare organizations.
Association of Shelter Veterinarians — Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters
Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters
The Association of Shelter Veterinarians' guidelines for animal care in shelters.
References are provided for further reading. Listing an organization does not imply its endorsement of Pet Safe SOP.
Last reviewed: September 2026. This guide is educational and does not describe legal requirements for any specific jurisdiction.