Kane'ohe resident Brenda Clawson considers her dog and two cats part of her family but knows they wouldn't be welcome inside a shelter should a hurricane or other disaster force her to evacuate.

So Clawson has put together an impressive set of supplies, for both the human members of her family — her husband, who is a tugboat captain, and their 10-year-old son Joshua — and for dog Sadie and cats Rosey and Blackie.

She's got radios, flashlights, food, water, medical supplies and pet carriers to help provide the creature comforts through an emergency. And she even found one clinic that would take in animals in an emergency if she needs to be separated from them.

Clawson said the tsunami in Asia raised her awareness, and then came the images of people and pets suffering after Katrina.

"It really takes the rug out from under your feet," she said. "Katrina, I think, has put a little bit of a panic in people."

But because of public health and safety reasons, O'ahu Civil Defense said, pets aren't allowed in shelters. And that makes it more important to make advance preparations for their safety in an emergency.

Clawson, a zookeeper at the Honolulu Zoo, said she became more dedicated to being prepared when her family bought their home two years ago.

In addition to stocking up, Clawson arms herself with information. She gets earthquake alerts in her e-mail from the U.S. Geological Service, keeps aware of the news and reviews her family plan regularly.

"I am all stocked up, except I could use some more water," she said. She keeps her pantry stocked, with a bucket nearby that she could use to carry supplies. And she keeps some other emergency supplies in her car.

She said the planning helps her peace of mind. "I just felt more confident this time around."

O'ahu Civil Defense Agency spokesman John Cummings III knows how devoted people are to their pets.

"I remember my first Red Cross shelter management assignment at 'Aina Haina Elementary School during the 1988 New Year's Eve flood," Cummings said. "An elderly Japanese couple evacuated with their two small dogs. I told them they could not bring the dogs in and suggested they leave them in their car."

Rather than leave their pets outside, they opted to stay outside the front door of the cafeteria and used several tables to create a makeshift shelter, he said.

"They were out in the wind and rain from midnight until the next morning."

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.