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Pets and Disasters

It is important to remember that you and your family are responsible for the safety of your pets and animals during a disaster.

If you plan ahead and are prepared for an emergency, your pets, livestock and other farm animals will stay safe and out of danger.

This page has important information on how to protect your animals, livestock and pets:

Before a disaster
During a disaster
After a disaster
Other useful things to remember

Before a Disaster

Make sure that your emergency plan includes your animals.

Include your pets in your household emergency plan

Check your local emergency plans to find out what arrangements are in place regarding temporary animal shelters and yards in times of major emergencies or disasters.

Remember that most evacuation centres will not accept animals, except for guide dogs. If there is an evacuation centre that does accept animals, it may require proper identification and proof of vaccination.

Include these phone numbers in your emergency plan:

your vet
local animal welfare agency
pet information and advisory services
help for injured or trapped native animals (such as a wildlife ranger or animal rescue services).

During a Disaster

Cows secured in a cattleyard

Moving animals to a safer place

If you are moving your pets and animals to a safe place, you should do this is early as possible. This is so that you avoid risking your own safety and that of your pets. Remember that a late evacuation can be very dangerous.

When you pets are likely to be at risk, every effort should be made to arrange to take them to a safer area. This might be with relatives, friends, and animal boarding facilities or to a temporary animal shelter or evacuation centre, which accepts animals.

Make sure that you supply:

enough non-perishable pet food for several days and feed/water bowls
a leash (possibly a muzzle) or a carry-cage, bag or box
toilet litter or old newspapers
essential medications and first aid kit
your pets' medical history and vet contact details.

Allow for the special needs of some animals:

carry birds, rabbits, guinea pigs and mice in cages or pillowcases (tied firmly) or in secure boxes with small airholes.
put fish in a large wide-necked jar with a secure lid. Fill the jar two-thirds with water. When travelling, regularly blow through a straw into the water to aerate it. Remove lid when stationary.
frogs need a small covered tub with 2.5 centimetres of water in the bottom and airholes in the top.
snakes and lizards need to be put in a container with a secure lid and airholes, or a sack/pillowcase.
as poultry and aviary birds are affected by smoke, make a hessian curtain around their cage and wet it down with water if there is fire.

If you cannot take your animals with you

The RSPCA advises that animals should only be left behind when it is impossible to move them in advance or to take them with you.

If you do leave your pets behind, take these precautions:

if possible, leave your pets indoors.
if they have to be left outside do not tie them up.
place pets (separated) in rooms with small or preferably no windows. Use easily cleaned areas like the laundry, bathroom or toilet. Avoid rooms with hazards such as large windows, hanging plants or large picture frames.
provide adequate food and water in large heavy bowls that can't be tipped over. A slow-dripping tap can supply a constant source of water.
birds must eat daily so provide food dispensers that regulate the amount of food.
in the case of flood, position a heavy chair or crate to allow access to higher refuge such as benches, cupboards or shelves where adequate food and water should be left.
provide toilet litter where appropriate and separate bedding for each pet.
make sure all pets are properly identified.
tell a friend or relative where you can be contacted, where your pets are and what their needs are.
leave a note for the emergency services indicating what animals they will encounter in the home (how many, where and how you can be contacted).

After a Disaster

Dog in a kennel

Because your surroundings might have changed following a disaster, animals can be disoriented, frightened or even aggressive.

So take care when releasing them and do so in a confined area to avoid them escaping or hurting themselves.

If your animals are missing, check with local pounds, animal shelters, animal control authorities and boarding kennels. Take a recent photograph of your pets, so that it is easier to identify your animals.

Other useful things to remember

Don't leave animals in vehicles
In hot conditions, provide more than one bowl of water (in case of spillage)
In case of fire, aviaries should be equipped with overhead sprinklers to minimise smoke inhalation, cool the air and reduce the chance of burn injuries
Report details of injured native animals.