Preparing for Equine Disasters

We are in the middle of hurricane season. Typically we don’t start having to worry about storms until August or September. So that gives you plenty of time to start preparing for a potential disaster. And if you think it won’t happen to me, just think back a couple of months ago to when all the spring storms when spawning tornadoes every few days. Those folks likely thought the same thing. A few minutes of preparation can be the difference between a good and bad outcome. It’s better to be prepared days, weeks or even months ahead of time than to be prepared one day (or minute) to late. The lists below are just a suggestion of what to do to prepare for an emergency situation. Every farm, horse owner, horse and situation are different. The idea is to take the steps to be prepared so that when a disaster strikes, you know what to do. You don’t want to have to develop a plan when it’s time to take action.

Equine Disaster Preparedness

These suggestions can be used to be prepared for any type of disaster – natural or manmade. Although these ideas were written with horses in mind, they can be tailored to fit any animal. The following suggestions are from the Equine Disaster Response Alliance which is a collaborative effort between groups representing the equine industry and horse owners.

How to Prepare for a Disaster

• Be familiar with the types of disasters that can occur in your area and develop a written plan of action for each
  
• Keep a stock of hay, grain, water, medications and veterinary supplies
  
• Decide where you will take your horses if evacuation becomes necessary
  
• Keep your horses' vaccinations and boosters up-to-date
  
• Compile all important document in one location This should inlcude:
• Registration papers
• Medical history, dosages and type of medications/health products required
• Dietary requirements
• Current Coggins test
• Photographs (left & right side, face, medial and lateral lower legs as well as a photo of you with your horse)
  
• Train your horse to load and unload

Marking Horses

Make ID tags such as luggage tags for your horse. On each tag, clearly write your name, address, phone number, horse’s description, feeding instructions, special needs and your vet’s name and phone number. Attach the tag to the halter with duct tape or braid into mane or tail. Do not tie around the tail. Permanent identifications methods, like tattoos, brands, microchips, work well. Small clippers can be used to clip your phone number onto your horse’s neck. An auction crayon can be used to write your number on him. Spray painting the hooves will also help identify the animal.

Items to Have in Case of an Emergency

• Photographs, registration papers and medical records for each horse
  
• Enough hay, gear and water to last three or more day
• Halter and lead for each horse with the horse's name on the halter
  
• Medications and veterinary supplies
  
• Extra feed buckets
• Extra bedding, pitchforks, shovels, and a wheelbarrow
• Portable first-aid kit
  
• Map and list of phone numbers (veterinarian, transporter, insurance company, etc)
  
• Hurricane Preparation 
• (The following information was obtained from a University of Florida Extension Publication.)
  · Make sure you have adequate water stored for all animals
  · If you have large numbers of animals, make sure you have a generator that it is operational and plenty of fuel to run it
  · Keep chlorine bleach on hand because contaminated water may be purified by adding 2 drops of chlorine bleach per quart of water and then letting stand for 30 minutes
  · Store at least 72 hours (7 days is best) of hay and feed. Cover hay with waterproof tarps and store grain in water tight containers.
  · Store lawn furniture, etc to prevent them from becoming projectile objects
  · Place large vehicles and tractors in open fields to prevent tree damage
  · Turn off electrical power to barn and other outbuildings
  · Make sure you have emergency tools on hand such as chain saw and fuel, hammer and nails, fence repair materials, fire extinguisher.
  
  After the storm has passed, you should address this checklist.
  · Inspect animals for injuries and treat appropriately
  · Walk through pasture to access and repair any fence damage and remove any debris that could be harmful to animals
  · Look for and report any downed power lines
  · Take pictures of storm damage
  · If any animals are missing, contact animal control
  
  Phone Numbers:
  
  North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) – (919) 707-3000
  North Carolina State Veterinarian – Dr. David Marshall – (919) 733-7601
  North Carolina State Animal Response Team – 1-888-989-SART http://nc.sartusa.org/

Here is a link to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Equine Disaster Response Alliance homepage. There is a lot of good information here including a 24 Step Disaster Plan and Tips to Prepare for a disaster.
http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/livestock/horse/EquineDisasterResponseAlliancePartners.htm


Below is a link to the Texas A&M University’s Equine Science Publications page. There are four videos here you can watch that have some good information concerning horses and disasters. Two are related to sheltering livestock in place and the third is about tending to trailers during evacuation.
http://animalscience.tamu.edu/academics/equine/publications/index.htm


Here is a good article from the University of Kentucky on Preparing for Disasters.
http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id173/id173.pdf


The link below is to a Virginia Tech publication that addresses several types of emergencies that horses may be involved in – from winter storms and fires to trailer accidents and being hit by a car. It also includes a suggested first-aid kit list and an emergency tool list. Remember all equine disasters do not necessarily involve Mother Nature. Many times humans are to blame for the dangerous situations in which horses are placed.
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/406/406-500/406-500.html


Louisiana has certainly had its share of natural disasters. Louisiana State University has a publication that deals with hurricanes. Find it at the link below. Above the horse section, there is some information on disaster preparedness for pet owners. Most folks who have horses also have other pets, so this information would be worth checking out as well.
http://www1.vetmed.lsu.edu/SVM/Visitors/Disaster%20Preparedness/item14821.html#Horse_Owners


The key message is that you need to take the time now to prepare for potential disasters that may strike you and your horses. We sometimes think things like that happen to others and not ourselves. While many of us will remain lucky and not have to deal with disasters affecting our horses, we need to be diligent and proactive horse owners and make the necessary decisions and preparations so that we can safely care for our animals.