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Disaster Preparedness for Horses
Why Horse Owners Need to Be Prepared
From Florida Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services
Disaster preparedness is important for all animals,
but it takes extra consideration for horses because
of their size and their transportation needs. It is
imperative that you are prepared to move your
horses to a safe area.
During an emergency, the time you have to evacuate
your horses will be limited. With an effective
emergency plan, you may have enough time to move
your horses to safety. If you are unprepared or wait
until the last minute to evacuate, you could be told by
emergency management officials that you must
leave your horses behind. Once you leave your
property, you have no way of knowing how long you
will be kept out of the area. If left behind, your horses
could be unattended for days without care, food, or
water.
Horse Evacuation Tips
Make arrangements in advance to have your horse
trailered in case of an emergency. If you do not have
your own trailer or do not have enough trailer space
for all of your horses, be sure you have several
people on standby to help evacuate your horses.
Know where you can take your horses in an
emergency evacuation. Make arrangements with a
friend or another horse owner to stable your horses
if needed. Contact your local animal care and control
agency, agricultural extension agent, or local
emergency management authorities for information
about shelters in your area.
Inform friends and neighbors of your evacuation
plans. Post detailed instructions in several places—
including the barn office or tack room, the horse
trailer, and barn entrances—to ensure they are
accessible to emergency workers in case you are
not able to evacuate your horses yourself.
Place your horses' Coggins tests, veterinary papers,
identification photographs, and vital information—
such as medical history, allergies, and emergency
telephone numbers (veterinarian, family members,
etc.)—in a watertight envelope. Store the envelope
with your other important papers in a safe place that
can be quickly reached.
Keep halters ready for your horses. Each halter
should include the following information: the horse's
name, your name, your telephone number, and
another emergency telephone number where
someone can be reached.
Prepare a basic first aid kit that is portable and easily
accessible.
Be sure to have on hand a supply of water, hay, feed,
and medications for several days for each horse you
are evacuating.
It is important that your horses are comfortable being
loaded onto a trailer. If your horses are
unaccustomed to being loaded onto a trailer,
practice the procedure so they become used to it.
There may be times when taking your horses with
you is impossible during an emergency. So you
must consider different types of disasters and
whether your horses would be better off in a barn or
loose in a field. 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.
Why Horse Owners Need to Be Prepared
From Florida Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services
Disaster preparedness is important for all animals,
but it takes extra consideration for horses because
of their size and their transportation needs. It is
imperative that you are prepared to move your
horses to a safe area.
During an emergency, the time you have to evacuate
your horses will be limited. With an effective
emergency plan, you may have enough time to move
your horses to safety. If you are unprepared or wait
until the last minute to evacuate, you could be told by
emergency management officials that you must
leave your horses behind. Once you leave your
property, you have no way of knowing how long you
will be kept out of the area. If left behind, your horses
could be unattended for days without care, food, or
water.
Horse Evacuation Tips
Make arrangements in advance to have your horse
trailered in case of an emergency. If you do not have
your own trailer or do not have enough trailer space
for all of your horses, be sure you have several
people on standby to help evacuate your horses.
Know where you can take your horses in an
emergency evacuation. Make arrangements with a
friend or another horse owner to stable your horses
if needed. Contact your local animal care and control
agency, agricultural extension agent, or local
emergency management authorities for information
about shelters in your area.
Inform friends and neighbors of your evacuation
plans. Post detailed instructions in several places—
including the barn office or tack room, the horse
trailer, and barn entrances—to ensure they are
accessible to emergency workers in case you are
not able to evacuate your horses yourself.
Place your horses' Coggins tests, veterinary papers,
identification photographs, and vital information—
such as medical history, allergies, and emergency
telephone numbers (veterinarian, family members,
etc.)—in a watertight envelope. Store the envelope
with your other important papers in a safe place that
can be quickly reached.
Keep halters ready for your horses. Each halter
should include the following information: the horse's
name, your name, your telephone number, and
another emergency telephone number where
someone can be reached.
Prepare a basic first aid kit that is portable and easily
accessible.
Be sure to have on hand a supply of water, hay, feed,
and medications for several days for each horse you
are evacuating.
It is important that your horses are comfortable being
loaded onto a trailer. If your horses are
unaccustomed to being loaded onto a trailer,
practice the procedure so they become used to it.
There may be times when taking your horses with
you is impossible during an emergency. So you
must consider different types of disasters and
whether your horses would be better off in a barn or
loose in a field. 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.
Where Can I Evacuate My Horse During a
Hurricane?
Visit the Sunshine State Horse Council's Hurricane
and Fire Emergency Equine Evacuation Information
WEBSITE
Hurricane?
Visit the Sunshine State Horse Council's Hurricane
and Fire Emergency Equine Evacuation Information
WEBSITE
Home & Barn Preparedness Guide:
WEBSITE
WEBSITE
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