Your animals are your responsibility. It is up to you to plan ahead and to prepare for the safety and welfare of your pets, livestock or other animals well before a natural hazard affects your home, farm or property. By acting early you can prevent unnecessary danger and anxiety. Although individual needs will vary, the following advice is provided to help you decide the best plan for your circumstances and area.
Consider whether you will move your pets and other animals to a safer place on days of high risk or when a warning is issued. This may depend on whether you intend to stay or leave.
You can check with Councils or other agencies about any likely hazards, local emergency plans and what arrangements are in place regarding any temporary animal shelters and yards in times of major emergencies or disasters.
Some evacuation centres may not accept animals. It is advised that you check this with the centres in your area.
Regardless of what you plan, ensure that pets and animals are properly identified ie:name tag, microchip or brand, and that any stock registers are current and kept in a safe place.
The following phone numbers can be included in your emergency plan:
Visit the Department of Environment and Primary Industries Pets and emergencies page for great advice on pets and emergency plans and contacts.
If moving animals to a safer place, do so early to avoid unnecessary risk to you and your animals. Remember that late evacuation can be very dangerous.
If you are staying home or on the property, or planning to return when a warning has been issued, you may need to bring pets in early as they have instincts about dangerous conditions and may run away or attempt to run away if afraid. If possible keep them indoors and separated in a quiet room with small, or preferably, no windows. Provide them with food and water. If you try to comfort them you may transfer your anxiety to them. It may be best to leave them alone whilst checking on them regularly.
If you are likely to be away from home, farm or property while an emergency warning is current, you may need to put your emergency plan into action and take precautions before you leave.
If pets are likely to be at risk, every effort should be made to arrange to take them to a safer area in advance. This might be with relatives, friends, animal boarding or agistment facilities or to a temporary animal shelter or evacuation centre which accepts animals.
Make sure that you supply:
Allow for those animals which have different needs:
The RSPCA advises that animals should only be left behind when it is impossible to move them in advance or take them with you. The Society further advises that if animals must be left alone and are in danger of suffering a painful death, owners should attempt to have them humanely euthanased where possible.
If you must leave them please take the following precautions:
When developing an emergency plan consider the following:
Surroundings will have changed following a disaster which will make some animals disorientated, frightened or possibly aggressive. Take care when releasing them doing so in a confined area to avoid them escaping.
Keep a close watch of your pet when you return home. If you believe your pet is suffering behavioural problems as a result of the disaster you should seek advice from your vet or a professional animal behaviourist.
If your animal is missing as a result of the disaster check with your local and neighbouring Councils, Animal Welfare shelters, Veterinary Clinics, refuge shelters and evacuation centres, animal boarding facilities etc.
Your safety and that of your family is paramount. Don't risk human life trying to find and protect pets.