Developing a large animal preparedness plan

Bryan-College Station—When a disaster is on the horizon, timely evacuation can become that much more challenging for owners whose horses and livestock can’t simply squeeze into the backseat. These animals often depend entirely on their owners to shield them from the elements within their pasture, so having a proper plan in place is vital for their safety.

Dr. Kyle Johnson, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, offers insight into disaster risks and preparedness methods for large animal owners.

Threat Of Wind, Water, And Wildfires

Natural disasters that can impact horses and livestock include seasonal concerns like extreme summer heat and winter ice as well as sudden events like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires. 

Any storm with strong winds brings the threat of flying debris. 

“When airborne, this debris can cause traumatic injuries, such as lacerations and puncture wounds, to horses and livestock,” Johnson said. “These high winds can also cause barns, shelters, and other structures to collapse.”

Flooding brought on by a storm’s heavy rain is another major threat for large animals exposed to the elements.

“If an animal is forced to stand in floodwaters because it is confined to a stall or a flooded pasture, it can suffer from a variety of injuries, including severe dermatitis, pneumonia, and gastrointestinal or neurological disease, collectively known as submersion injury,” Johnson said. “Floodwater can also be heavily contaminated with a variety of substances, such as petroleum products, agricultural and industrial chemicals, pesticides, and bacterial organisms like E. coli.”

Completing nature’s triple threat against horses and livestock is the potential harm brought by wildfires.

“When these animals inhale the smoke from wildfires, it can cause irritation of their eyes and lungs,” Johnson said. “Animals may cough, have increased respiratory rates, and nasal discharge. Fires can also destroy or contaminate any available forage for grazing animals. In these cases, animals will either need to be moved or high-quality forage will need to be delivered to them.

“At times like these, proper animal identification is critical, as it makes returning these animals to their owners and pastures much easier after flood waters have receded and fires have been extinguished.” 

Methods of large animal identification include:

Microchipping

Ear tags 

Plastic neck bands

Branding

Tattoos.

Thinking Ahead

Simply deciding to evacuate your horses or livestock isn’t enough. Having a safe place to go is also a vital part of your plan. Furthermore, knowing how to get there and having alternate routes can also be critical to an effective evacuation. 

“A vital first step in any evacuation is the ability to quickly and safely load your horses into a horse trailer,” Johnson said. “Practice makes perfect so practicing loading your horse can be helpful so when you must leave. It’s also important to ensure that the trailer is regularly maintained.”

A plan is merely an idea unless it is written down. Copies should be made and stored both on-farm and in alternate but known and accessible locations. It should also be rehearsed, even if only briefly, and everyone should have a thorough understanding of the plan and know their role.

Emergency Kit Preparation

Companion animal owners are encouraged to plan ahead in the event that an evacuation might be needed by creating an emergency “go kit” of necessities for their pets; having the same kind of kit in the event that you need to evacuate large animals will make that process easier as well. 

An emergency kit for large animals should contain enough supplies to last at least 72 hours, and possibly up to two weeks.

“Water is arguably the most important part of an emergency kit,” Johnson said. “An adult horse needs roughly six -10 gallons of fresh water per day. As such, a kit should include at least three days’ worth of water per horse, with enough feed to last one to two weeks.”

Additional emergency kit materials include:

Registry paperwork

Copies of medical records

First-aid supplies

Identifying photographs

Feed and water buckets

Extra halters and lead ropes

Cleaning supplies

Medications.

Pre- And Post-Disaster Resources

Before a disaster strikes, an owner’s best preparation resource is their regular veterinarian, who can provide copies of important documents and ensure that horses are properly vaccinated and in good health.

“It is important for horse owners to know their neighbors or, if the horse is kept in a boarding barn, the barn manager and other boarders at the facility,” Johnson said. “These relationships can promote mutual aid when disaster strikes.”

There are also a variety of resources available for members of the public to obtain accurate and up-to-date information about disasters that may impact their area, including automated emergency alert systems in the form of texts, emails, or apps.

Knowing how weather may affect your property and having a plan in place are the best ways to protect your horses and your herds and to stay ahead of the chaos.

“As Dr. Deb Zoran, director of the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team, says, ‘hope is not a plan.’ Owners should plan for disaster, discuss their plan with others, prepare their emergency kits, and be ready to act,” Johnson said. “With disasters becoming more frequent and catastrophic, it’s not a matter of if, but when.”

SOURCE College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University