Caring for animals
Your animals are your responsibility. Planning ahead ensures better safety and improved welfare for your animals, avoiding unnecessary danger and anxiety.
For more information about caring for your pets and animals in disasters contact RSPCA Ph. 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625).
- For each pet, get a pet carrier. Be sure that they are large enough for your pet to stand up in, turn around and lie down.
- Record contact phone numbers and addresses of your Vet, local animal welfare agencies and Council Animal Control office.
- Be sure your pet has a current registration tag and implanted microchip.
- Keep with you a current photograph of your pet, in case your pet is lost.
- If you will be evacuating your pet, consider safe relocation options. For example investigate temporary animal shelters or safe refuge with family or friends.
- Public evacuation centres (often school buildings or community centres) are not set up to cater for pets.
- Don't leave animals in vehicles.
- If you need to evacuating your home without your pet bring your pet inside to a prepared 'safe' area. EG. laundry.
- Check with relevant authorities regarding missing animals.
- Take care when releasing animals, their environment may have been severely damaged and the animals may be very disoriented, frightened or aggressive.
- Develop a written disaster plan, including a list of resources (suppliers, trucks & trailers), evacuation sites, emergency phone numbers and contacts of who can help during an emergency.
- Be aware that animals can get jittery before a storm and may be easily spooked.
- Identify food and water sources that do not rely on electricity, which could be lost during an emergency.
- Familiarise yourself with several evacuation routes to you destination. Avoid routes likely to be travelled heavily by people.
- Secure loose items around the farm.
- If possible, evacuate your livestock early to ensure their safety, protect your investment and ease your stress. Better safe than sorry!
- Handling wildlife requires special care - if possible leave it to trained handlers. Wildlife can damage you and can transmit several serious diseases.
- Wildlife often appears passive - this is a sign of stress and can change suddenly to aggression and panic.
- Lock pets away to avoid contact with wildlife - conflicts can occur leading to injury on both sides.
- Never risk your own safety to attempt to rescue wildlife.