Disaster Planning for Livestock
Disaster
Planning for Livestock
Why Livestock Owners Need
to Be Prepared
Take Precautions
Farm Disaster Kit
Why Livestock Owners
Need to Be Prepared
Transporting livestock animals to safety
when disaster strikes can be difficult. Disaster preparedness is important
for all animals, but it is particularly important for livestock because
of the animals’ size and the requirements needed to shelter and transport
them. If you think that disasters happen only if you live in a flood plain,
near an earthquake fault line, or in a coastal area, you may be tragically
mistaken. Disasters can happen anywhere and include barn fires, hazardous
material spills, propane line explosions, and train derailments, all of
which may necessitate evacuation. It is imperative that you be prepared
to protect your livestock, whether by evacuating or by sheltering in place.
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Take Precautions
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Make a disaster plan to protect your property,
your facilities, and your animals. Create a list of emergency telephone
numbers, including those of your employees, neighbors, veterinarian, state
veterinarian, poison control, local animal shelter, animal care and control,
county extension service, local agricultural schools, trailering resources,
and local volunteers.
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Include a contact person outside the disaster
area. Make sure all this information is written down and that everyone
has a copy.
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Make sure every animal has durable and visible
identification.
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Ensure that poultry have access to high areas
in which to perch, if they are in a flood-prone area, as well as to food
and clean water.
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Reinforce your house, barn, and outbuildings
with hurricane straps and other measures. Perform regular safety checks
on all utilities, buildings, and facilities on your farm.
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Use only native and deep-rooted plants and
trees in landscaping; non-native plants are less durable and hardy in your
climate and may become dislodged by high winds or broken by ice and snow.
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Remove all barbed wire, and consider rerouting
permanent fencing so that animals may move to high ground in a flood and
to low-lying areas in high-wind events.
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Install a hand pump and obtain enough large
containers to water your animals for at least a week (municipal water supplies
and wells are often contaminated during a disaster.)
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Identify alternate water and power sources.
A generator with a safely stored supply of fuel may be essential, especially
if you have electrical equipment necessary to the well-being of your animals.
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Secure or remove anything that could become
blowing debris; make a habit of securing trailers, propane tanks, and other
large objects. If you have boats, feed troughs, or other large containers,
fill them with water before any high-wind event.
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If you use heat lamps or other electrical
machinery, make sure the wiring is safe and that any heat source is clear
of flammable debris.
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Label hazardous materials and place them all
in the same safe area.
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Provide local fire and rescue and emergency
management authorities with information about the location of any hazardous
materials on your property.
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Remove old buried trash – a potential source
of hazardous materials during flooding that may leech into crops, feed
supplies, water sources, and pasture.
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Review and update your disaster plan, supplies,
and information regularly.
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Farm Disaster Kit
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Make a disaster kit so you have supplies on
hand in the event of a disaster. Place the kit in a central location and
let everyone know where it is. Check the contents regularly to ensure fresh
and complete supplies. Include the following items, then add items that
you use every day:
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Current list of all animals, including their
location and records of feeding, vaccinations and tests. Make this information
available at various locations on the farm. Make sure that you have proof
of ownership for all animals.
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Supplies for temporary identification of your
animals, such as plastic neckbands and permanent markers to label your
animals with your name, address, and telephone number.
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Basic first aid kit.
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Handling equipment such as halters, cages,
and appropriate tools for each kind of animals
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Water, feed, and buckets. Tools and supplies
needed for sanitation.
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Disaster equipment such as a cell phone, flashlights,
portable radios, and batteries.
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Other safety and emergency items for your
vehicles and trailers.
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Food, water, and disaster supplies for your
family.
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Your local humane organization, agricultural
extension agent, or local emergency management agency may be able to provide
you with information about your community’s disaster response plans.
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This information is provided by The Humane
Society of the United States’ (HSUS) New England Regional Office, on behalf
of the Vermont Animal Disaster Emergency Planning Team (ADEPT). For
further information, contact The HSUS at (802) 368-2790 or nero@hsus.org
or visit www.hsus.org/disaster.
Last modified August 27 2004 12:55 PM