Pets & Animals

Here you will find useful information regarding Pets and Animals during a Disaster Event

Tips for Pet Owners
Evacuating with your Pets
Leaving your Pets behind
What to do after a Disaster Event
What to do if you need a Pet carrier
Tips for Livestock owners
Evacuation of Livestock
What to do after the threat has passed
Tips for Assisting Wildlife

Tips for Pet Owners

In the event of a natural disaster, it can be easy to forget about animals in your care. Here you will find useful tips for managing your animals in a disaster.

Prepare a disaster plan and kit for each animal.
Check with animal refuges, animal welfare groups, animal boarding facilities, vets, RSPCA and Council on whether they can provide accommodation for your pets in the event of an evacuation. Add the contacts to your emergency contact list and make arrangements to board your pets at an animal boarding facility for the duration of the event.
Contact hotels and motels outside of the threat area and check on their policies for accepting pets and any restrictions on size, species etc. Ask if pet policies can or will be waived during disaster events.
Ask friends or relatives outside of the affected area to house and care for your pets. Preferably this should be the place that you self evacuate your family to.
Be sure your pet has a current registration tag and an implanted microchip.
If your dog normally wears a choker collar have a separate leather or nylon collar available for wear during disaster events. This is to ensure no injury is caused to your pet during stressful conditions.
Keep your pet’s immunisation shots up to date and have all records available to take with you if you have to evacuate. Boarding facilities, Emergency Animal Shelters, etc will not take pets without records of immunisations.
In your family emergency kit have extra supplies of dry pet food, kitty litter, food and water feeders/containers and extra mediation.
Keep extra newspaper for your animals' sanitary needs.
Consider a muzzle for your dog, as the stress of disaster events will affect animals as well leading to normally placid animals becoming aggressive.
If your pet is on medication ensure you have an adequate supply to cover a disaster event.

Evacuating with your Pets

Public Evacuation Centres (often schools, halls or community centres) are not set up to cater for pets. If you will be evacuating your pet, consider safe relocation options e.g. investigate temporary animal shelters or safe refuge with family or friends.
Consider taking with you your pet's comfort items to reduce their anxiety, for example their bed and toys.
Carry your pet's grooming items, leashes, paper towels and disinfectant.

Leaving your Pets behind

If you have to leave pets behind when you evacuate consider the following:
Never leave animals in vehicles.
Place each pet in a separate room. Even pets that normally get on well together may become aggressive towards each other under the stress.
Do not tie pets up if you have to evacuate. If there is a threat of flooding ensure they can escape to a place of safety. Leave chairs, tables, benches etc which will allow your pet to gain elevation.
Leave their normal bedding with them as well as any favourite toys to help control any anxiety being felt by your pets.
Leave your pet in a small room preferably without windows. A room that is easy to clean such as a laundry, toilet or bathroom are most appropriate.
Leave two or three days of dry food in a large heavy container that is difficult to knock over.
Leave water in a sturdy container that is difficult to knock over. A tap left slowly dripping can replenish water supplies in a container and large dogs may be able to drink from a partially filled bathtub.
Birds must eat daily to survive. Check with your vet on suitable food dispensers that regulate supply.
Leave a notice in a prominent location advising emergency services personnel of which animals they are likely to encounter and in which rooms. Also leave the details of where you can be contacted.

After a Disaster Event

Keep pets inside after a disaster event. If they must go outside keep dogs on the leash and cats in a pet carrier.
Take care when returning. Your pets usual environment may have been severely damaged and the animal may be disorientated, frightened or aggressive.
After the event, if you cannot return to your home, contact Tablelands Regional Council to find out what arrangements have been made to reunite pets with owners.
If you have to leave the area following a disaster event take your pets with you, as they cannot survive without you.
Keep them leashed and in close contact with you for a period after the event until they settle into their new surroundings and routine.
The behaviour of pets can change remarkably after a disaster event. Be alert to changes and seek advice from the vet as necessary.

Need a Pet carrier?

Tablelands Regional Council recommends you purchase a pet carrier for each animal for use in disaster events. If you do not have a pet carrier small to medium animals can be carried in their cages, pillowcases or in secure boxes with air holes.

Use pet carriers for dogs and cats. Be sure that they are large enough for your pet to stand up in, turn around and lie down. Make sure your pet is comfortable with the carrier by training them to enter and spend time in it.

Carry birds, guinea pigs, mice etc in cages or pillowcases (tied firmly) or in secure boxes with small holes.

Check with your local pet store for a small tank to transport your fish in with attached battery operated aerator. If you have no other option put your fish into a large wide necked jar, two-thirds filled, with a secure lid and aerate by gently blowing through a straw. Remove the lid when stationary to allow for some air saturation.

Frogs need a small covered tub with 2.5cm of water in the bottom and air holes in the top.

Snakes and lizards need to be put in a container with a secure lid and air holes, or sack/pillowcase.

Tips for Livestock Owners

Your animals are your responsibility. Plan ahead to be prepared - better planning ensures better safety and improved welfare for your animals thereby avoiding unnecessary danger and anxiety.

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.
Decide where to take animals if evacuation is necessary, for example high ground or under sturdy cover. Have several sites in mind, in case your first choice is unavailable.
Be aware that animals can sense danger and may get nervous or jittery before a storm / cyclone 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 your destination. Avoid routes likely to be travelled heavily by people.
Photograph and identify brands and tattoos and inventory by age, sex, weight, and breed. Identify in a written list, which animals (such as breeding stock) are of the highest priority or most valuable, in the event only some of them can be saved.
Keep vaccinations and boosters up-to-date. Record the dates, dosages and types of medications and health products the animals have received. Record dosing instructions and dietary requirements. Keep this information with the Disaster Plan.
Secure loose items around the farm.
In extreme circumstances, the best option may be to cut fences or leave gates open so that stock can escape danger (and be collected later).
Consider acquiring back up power generators and backup fuel supplies. (Particularly useful for poultry farmers to provide continuous air-conditioning for stock and dairy farmers for cooling of milk.)

Evacuation

If possible, evacuate your livestock early to ensure their safety, protect your investment and ease your stress. Better safe than sorry!
Avoid using public roads if possible.

After the threat has passed

Check fences: be sure they are intact. Check pasture and fences for sharp objects that could injure livestock.
Beware of fallen power lines.
Check with relevant authorities regarding missing animals.
Seek advice from Council or DEEDI on the safe methods of animal disposal or burial.

Tips for Assisting Wildlife

Only rescue wildlife if it is necessary because handling wildlife requires special care. If possible leave it to trained handlers.

To report injured or orphaned animals call RSPCA on 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625).

Before assisting wildlife consider the following:

Wildlife often appears passive - this is a sign of stress and can change suddenly to aggression and panic.
Feeding wildlife can create problems of nutritional deficiencies and dependency – seek professional help first.
Lock pets away to avoid contact with wildlife as conflicts may lead to injury on both sides.
Never put yourself at risk in an attempt to rescue wildlife.

Birds

Cold wet birds should be wrapped in a dry towel and placed on a hot water bottle of some sort. Do not use hot air (e.g. a hair dryer). Once warmed, give 2-3 drops of honey/glucose for quick energy then call for advice or assistance.

Wallabies

Wallabies will seek high ground. They are often found in backyards. Where possible lock up pets, open gates, drop fences and leave the animal alone. Wallabies are good swimmers and best left alone in water as attempting rescue will induce panic and drowning.

Snakes

Snakes are usually seeking dry ground. Leave alone where possible. Do not attempt to remove. Call 1300 ANIMAL for assistance.

Bats

Bats should not be handled except by trained and vaccinated bat handlers.
Due to damage to roost sites, both insect eating bats and flying foxes may be on the ground and close to residential areas.
Avoid physical contact. If an animal is injured, cover with a box or heavy towel and call 1300 ANIMAL for assistance.

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