Emergency planning for pets, livestock and zoos

Have you prepared the animals in your care for disasters? 

What would you do about your animals in the event of fire, flooding, earthquakes, war etc?

These organisations have information about ways to help prepare yourself & your animals.  Wherever you are in the world, they can be helpful, whether the advice is coming from the US, Australia, the UK - wherever.  Be prepared, and don't wait for disaster to strike before you consider what to do.  Remember, you may literally have just a few minutes to get yourselves and your animals out.

The Americans have a National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day (in May each year).  It could be worth using that day - or today/tomorow - to consider how well you are prepared for any disaster.  Hopefully the following links will give you useful tips & advice on how to be prepared for disasters so that your pets, livestock & wildlife will survive and continue to thrive.  We will continue to add to these links

The Humane Society has a very helpful FAQ which is well worth a read.  Come up with your own plan of how you would evacuate - what would you need for yourself and your animals to help you through several days?  

Pets

Make a disaster plan for your pets  from the Humane Society of the United States.  They have information about what to pack for your pet

The Coastal Pet Rescue in the US also has helpful evacuation tips

There's plans for evacuating cats (domestic, not wild) at Cat World (Australia)

The AVMA has info for vets and their practices

Advice on how to care for pets during and after earthquakescan be found at Ark Animals on California Earthquakes & Pet Preparedness Tips

In the UK, the RSPCA has info on what to do in the event of flooding

Livestock

The Humane Society has information on disaster preparedness here for farm animals, including how to make a pet  disaster kit, as does Colorado State University for horses in the event of wildfires.  Again, many have tips which are as relevant to farmers and smallholders outside of the USA.  The HSI has lots of information on Barn Fires, sheltering farm animals, what to put in a kit, and why you need to be prepared.

Horses

The Humane Society has tips for horses as well, and the one sentence which really sticks in my mind (and which seems relevant to all animals), is that if a situation isn't safe for you, it isn't going to be safe for your animals, either.   Take several days' supply of food and water and don't forget any medications.   Practice loading your horses into a trailer so that they are used to it - I know, this is easier said than done for a lot of horses/ponies.

Zoos

The Zoo and Aquarium All Hazards Partnership provides "resources for enhancing preparedness for and resiliency to all-hazards that may impact facilities caring for exotic animals and wildlife". 

It goes without saying that laws will differ from one part of the world to another. However, the basic stuff you need to do to be ready to care for your animals is the same.  Be ready. And make sure your animals are microchipped so that if you do get separated and they survive, you can be reunited.

Some charities helping with disaster management are:

Humane Society International

World Animal Protection

Four Paws

IFAW

The ASPCAPRO has disaster response training

 Articles to read

What Happens to Animals During Natural Disasters? 

Train to Be a Disaster Animal Response Team Volunteer

Disaster preparedness plans become increasingly critical worldwide from the Humane Society of the United States