Evacuate animals

Pre-planning

As animals are facing an increase in hazards relating to destruction and devastation of their environment from wildfires, floods and droughts, pre-planning for their evacuation may be beneficial. Organisations or people with a responsibility for animals should consider:

• Creating efficient evacuation plans for animals to safer locations, minimising the risk of them being stranded or exposed
• Developing emergency medical care plans for animals that are affected by injuries or illnesses during extreme weather events
• Establishing partnerships with local communities and authorities, fostering a collaborative response for animals affected by weather emergencies
• Developing resilient, secure and weather-resistant animal shelters and enclosures
• Having mutual aid arrangements or memorandum of understanding in place for the evacuation of animals, especially those located at:
  • Zoos
  • Abattoirs
  • Laboratories that carry out animal testing
  • Quarantined animals

Evacuation

Techniques employed in evacuating animals from a place of danger to a place of relative safety may take many forms and be entirely dependent on the nature of the danger, the species involved and the number of animals.

Attempts should be made to liaise with the owner of the animals or the responsible person before commencing evacuation.

When developing the evacuation plan for animals, consideration should be given to the capabilities of those responding to the incident. This may identify the need for additional or specialist resources and equipment.

Specialist advice for animal rescue or animal behaviour may be beneficial for successfully evacuating animals.

All people involved with the evacuation, including personnel, need to be clearly briefed about the evacuation plan and closely supervised until the animals have been relocated to a secure holding area.

In the event of flooding, it may be that the animals can be safely left in position and monitored rather than evacuated, if the water surrounding them will recede or subside in a reasonable period.

Pre-evacuation consideration

Prior to commencing the evacuation, it is essential to identify an appropriate evacuation route to be used and a secure holding area for the animals to be moved to. For further information refer to Determine an appropriate rescue route and destination for the animal.