What Happens to Your Pets If You're Hospitalized? A Plan Every Pet Owner Needs

Imagine this: you slip on ice in your driveway, hit your head, and wake up in an emergency room. You are disoriented, your phone is back at the house, and the first clear thought that cuts through the fog is not about yourself. It is about your dog. Who is going to let her out? Who is going to feed her tonight? Does anyone even know she is home alone?

This is not a far-fetched scenario. According to the CDC, over 37 million emergency department visits in the United States each year result in hospitalization or extended observation. For the roughly 66 percent of American households that own at least one pet — that is about 86.9 million homes, according to the American Pet Products Association — an unexpected hospital stay creates an immediate secondary crisis. Your pet is home, alone, and possibly without food, water, or anyone who knows they exist.

The good news: this is an entirely solvable problem. It just requires a little advance planning.

The Real Risks Pets Face When Owners Have Emergencies

When a pet owner is unexpectedly hospitalized, the consequences for their animals range from uncomfortable to life-threatening, depending on how long it takes someone to intervene.

• Dehydration and hunger: Most dogs need water every 6 to 10 hours and food at least once a day. Cats can go slightly longer without food, but dehydration sets in within 24 to 48 hours. Small animals like rabbits, hamsters, and birds are even more vulnerable.
• Medication schedules: Many pets are on daily medications for conditions like diabetes, seizures, or thyroid issues. A missed dose can trigger a medical crisis for the animal.
• Behavioral distress: Pets, especially dogs, experience significant anxiety when their routine is disrupted and their owner does not return. This can lead to destructive behavior, self-harm, or refusal to eat.
• Temperature exposure: In summer, a house with closed windows can become dangerously hot. In winter, a pet left in an unheated space is at risk of hypothermia.
• Shelter surrender: The ASPCA estimates that approximately 6.3 million companion animals enter U.S. shelters each year. A portion of those surrenders happen because an owner was hospitalized or incapacitated and no one was designated to care for the pet.

None of these outcomes are inevitable. They are all preventable with a plan that takes less than thirty minutes to create.

Step 1: Designate a Pet Care Contact

The most important piece of your pet emergency plan is identifying one or two people who can step in on short notice. This person should:

• Live nearby (ideally within a 30-minute drive)
• Be comfortable with your specific pet (a friend who is allergic to cats is not the best backup for your cat)
• Have a key to your home or know where one is hidden
• Be willing and able to care for your pet for several days if needed
• Know your pet by name and temperament

Have an explicit conversation with this person. Do not just assume your neighbor "would probably help." Ask them directly: "If I were hospitalized unexpectedly, would you be willing to come take care of Max until I am back?" Get a clear yes. Then make sure they have your contact information, your vet's information, and access to your home.

If you do not have anyone nearby, consider building that connection. A trusted neighbor, a fellow pet owner in your building, or a member of a local pet-sitting co-op can fill this role. Some communities have volunteer networks specifically for pet emergency care — check with your local animal shelter or humane society.

Step 2: Document Everything Your Pet Needs

When someone else steps in to care for your pet, they need clear, written instructions. In the stress of an emergency, verbal agreements and assumptions break down quickly. Write it down.

Your pet care document should include:

Keep a printed copy on your refrigerator (where emergency responders often look for medical information) and a digital copy that your emergency contacts can access.

Step 3: Make Your Pet Visible to First Responders

If paramedics come to your home, they are focused on you, not your pets. But a simple visual cue can alert them that animals are present and need care.

• Pet rescue stickers: Place a sticker on your front door or window that lists the number and type of pets inside. The ASPCA offers free pet safety packs that include these stickers.
• Wallet card: Carry a card in your wallet that says "I have pets at home" with your address and your pet care contact's phone number. If you are taken to the hospital, staff may find it.
• Phone lock screen: Some people add a line to their phone's lock screen message: "I have a dog at home. Call [contact name] at [number]."
• ICE contacts: Make sure your phone's emergency contacts include your designated pet care person, labeled clearly.

Step 4: Set Up an Automated Notification System

All the planning in the world does not help if your pet care contact does not know something has happened. If you are unconscious in a hospital, you cannot text anyone. If you live alone, there may be no one to notice you are gone.

This is where a daily check-in system becomes invaluable — not just for your own safety, but for your pets. StillSafe's Pet Care Profiles let you store your pet's essential information — feeding schedules, medications, vet details, and your designated pet care contact — directly in your account. If you miss your daily check-in, your emergency contacts are notified and can access this information immediately.

The sequence works like this:

1. You check in each day as part of your normal routine.
2. If you miss a check-in, StillSafe sends notifications to your emergency contacts.
3. Your contacts know to check on you and, critically, know that your pets need immediate care.
4. They can access your pet care profiles with all the information they need: feeding instructions, medication schedules, vet contact, and where to find supplies in your home.

This system closes the most dangerous gap: the time between your emergency and someone realizing your pets need help.

Step 5: Plan for Longer Absences

A one- or two-day hospitalization is one thing. But what if you are incapacitated for weeks or months? Think through these longer-term scenarios as well:

• Secondary backup: If your primary pet care contact cannot commit long-term, identify a secondary person or a professional boarding facility that can take over after the first few days.
• Financial arrangements: Set aside a small emergency fund for pet care expenses, or discuss cost-sharing with your designated caretaker in advance.
• Legal documentation: Consider adding a pet care clause to your will or creating a pet trust. Many states now recognize pet trusts as legally binding. The ASPCA provides guidance on this.
• Rescue organization contact: As a last resort, identify a local breed-specific rescue or no-kill shelter that could take your pet if all other arrangements fall through.

The Conversation Nobody Wants to Have (But Every Pet Deserves)

Here is the uncomfortable truth: most pet owners have not made these plans. Not because they do not care — they care deeply — but because thinking about your own hospitalization or incapacity is inherently unpleasant. It is easier to assume it will not happen, or that someone will figure it out.

But your pet cannot make a phone call. Your pet cannot explain their medication schedule to a stranger. Your pet cannot tell a first responder that they are diabetic and need insulin twice a day. That responsibility belongs to you, right now, before anything happens.

Ask yourself: If I were taken to the hospital in the next hour, would my pet be okay tonight?

If the answer is no, or even "probably, but I am not sure," then today is the day to fix that.

It Takes Thirty Minutes to Protect What Matters Most

You do not need to overhaul your life. You need thirty minutes and a pen.

1. Five minutes: Choose your pet care contact and send them a text asking if they are willing.
2. Fifteen minutes: Write down your pet's care information (use the template above).
3. Five minutes: Put a pet rescue sticker on your door and a wallet card in your purse or pocket.
4. Five minutes: Set up a free StillSafe account and add your pet's profile so your emergency contacts have instant access to everything they need.

That is it. Half an hour, and your pet has a safety net that works whether you are conscious or not, whether your phone is charged or not, whether anyone remembers to check on you or not.

Your pet depends on you for everything. The most loving thing you can do for them is make sure someone else can step in if you cannot. That is not planning for the worst. That is being the responsible, caring pet owner your animal already knows you are.

Your next step: Send one text message today. Just one. Ask someone you trust: "If something happened to me, could you take care of [pet's name] for a few days?" That single conversation is the foundation of everything else. Start there.