Hurricane Sandy is already causing widespread flooding and damage with high winds along the East Coast. With landfall expected to hit Monday evening, there are already thousands without power and hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated.

While you protect yourself and your family, how do you protect your pets? The good news is that many shelters will allow your pets in, but you will most likely need to provide anything the animal needs, such as food. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said shelters have already accepted more than 70 pets.

The general rules for taking care of your pets in a disaster are:

1. If you evacuate, take your pets with you.
2. If you are staying home, bring your pets indoors.
3. When you stock up on supplies, stock up on pet food, too.
4. Make sure your pet is wearing a tag with identification.

For more information, here is a list of sites with information on how to protect your pets during a disaster.

Read: Humane Society's disaster preparedness checklist

Read: Red Cross' disaster plan for families with pets

Read: FEMA's list of resources for pet owners