How can I prepare before an emergency happens?

The answer

Save the numbers of your regular vet, two emergency clinics and an animal poison control line, and check which species each treats. Keep your pet's records and medicine list in one place, make sure your carrier and transport plan are ready, and decide how you would handle costs. Share the plan with everyone at home and with anyone who looks after your pet, and review it twice a year. The preparing-in-advance guide on this site walks through each step.