Preparing Your Large Animal for a Natural Disaster
With wildfires taking place out west, Hurricane Harvey causing destruction in Houston, Texas and Hurricane Irma causing issues in Florida, part of the national conversation about responding to natural disasters has included how to Preparing Your Large Animal for a Natural Disaster. By planning ahead, you can help to increase the likelihood of your animals’ survival. To that end, here are some steps to take before disaster hits:
- Determine the best place to confine your animals in the event of a disaster.
- Identify alternative water sources in case your power goes out and your pumps are not working (installing a hand pump can help to ensure water is always on hand).
- Always have a minimum of three days worth of feed and water on hand.
- Implement some form of permanent identification, such as branding, tattoos, microchips and ear tags. In the event of last minute preparation, livestock markers, duct tape, paint and permanent markers can also be helpful. Be sure to include your name and phone number.
- Keep an emergency file that you can easily grab containing information about your animals’ current vaccinations, medical history and special dosing instructions as well as the contact information for your veterinarian.