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Planning for Evacuation: Horses and Livestock

Evacuating Basics for Equine or Livestock

Because the time you have to evacuate will be limited once you realize that a hurricane is coming, it is best to leave early. Should you wait until the last minute, you may be told by evacuation officials that you must leave your animals behind. If left behind, horses can be without food, water, or care for days, until you are able to return. Follow these procedures to ensure that you and your animals are prepared for a hurricane.

• Develop an evacuation plan and make sure that animals are familiarized with trailers and being loaded into them.
• Know that premises with facilities that are specifically designed to load and handle livestock will be more successful in evacuating and relocating livestock.
• Locate and prearrange an evacuation site for animals outside of the immediate area. Consider:
  
  • Veterinary or land grant colleges
  • Racetracks
  • Show grounds
    
  • Pastures
    
  • Stables
    
  • Fairgrounds
    
  • Equestrian centers
    
  • Livestock corrals
    
  • Stockyards or auction facilities
  • Other boarding facilities
    
• If you do not have enough trailers to transport all of your animals to an evacuation site quickly, contact neighbors, local haulers, farmers, producers, or other transportation providers to establish a network of available and reliable resources.
• Assemble your horse or livestock evacuation kit.