It is essential that all horse owners and carers are familiar with how to care for horses during emergency situations, including bushfires, and how to develop a plan to protect them.
Caring for horses before a fire begins
Paddocks
Horse owners can take steps to make their paddocks safer by limiting vegetation in the area so there is less fuel for the fire to burn. Paddocks should also have a large water supply, like a dam, and be big enough that your horse can easily escape flames as they pass.
All internal gates in the paddock should be left open, but they should not be able to get onto the road as this could put emergency services personnel and others at risk and the horses could be in more danger.
Bushfire survival plan for horses It is important to have a plan in place to determine what you will do with your horses before a fire starts. Once a fire is already approaching your property, it is unlikely that you will be able to safely move your horses. On days with a high fire danger rating you should practise floating your horse, having other people catch, halter and float your horse, move your horse around the property so they know where internal gates are and remove all flammable items including rugs, fly veils, boots, halters and head collars.
If an extreme fire weather announcement is made you should consider moving your horses to a safer location nearby.
Areas to temporarily move your horse include:
- a neighbour or friend’s property that is safer than yours
- local showgrounds
- saleyards
- racetracks
- pony club grounds.
Prepare your horses
Make sure your horses are easily identifiable by microchipping or branding them. If your horse is not chipped or branded, write your name and phone number on your horse - preferably with a grease crayon. Make sure you have a photo with you and your horses in case you need to prove ownership.
Caring for horses during and after bushfires
During a bushfire
Once a bushfire starts visibility is poor and travelling can become dangerous. Horses can panic in a float filled with smoke or when around the loud noises of sirens, which is why it is important to move or prepare horses before the fire is close.
If it is unsafe to move the horses and they are left in a large paddock, they should have plenty of water and three days worth of food. However, they may suffer minimal burns from galloping through flames or around a fire’s edge and from standing on previously burnt areas that are still hot.
After the fire front has passed and it is safe, check on your horses to reassure them and calm them down. If they do have burns, call a vet and start to administer any treatments or medicines you have on hand before the vet arrives. This could include:
- sponging affected areas with cold water
- if legs are affected, try to stand your horse in a bucket of cold water
- anti-inflammatory first-aid.
Continue to monitor your horses over the next few days as some symptoms can take a while to appear.
After a bushfire
Care must be taken when returning horses to burnt areas after a bushfire as there may still be hotspots which could burn the hooves or legs of your horse. Check for the following before re-entering a burnt area:
- partially burnt structures and trees which might be unstable or likely to fall
- tree roots which may burn underground creating hot pits that could cause burns if stepped in
- ensure water isn’t contaminated with ash or firefighting foam and they have food off the ground
- bees and wasps as they may swarm when trying to establish a new home
- fencing is safe and free from breaks and sharp edges
- electric fences for faults and breakages.
Forward planning can be the biggest asset when trying to protect the safety and wellbeing of your horses if you live in a high-risk bushfire area. Have a written plan and practice!
For more information, visit these resources:
- Horses in Bushfire Information Sheet (PDF, 256 KB)
- RSPCA Queensland
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
With your family and horses' safety in mind, make sure you complete your Bushfire Safety Plan.
Domestic/household pets
Prepare for your pets in an emergency
Recommendations from the RSPA, Three Step Plan for Pets (Not including Livestock)
It is essential that all pet owners and carers are familiar with how to care for family pets or assistance animals during emergency situations, including bushfires and how to develop a plan to protect them.
- Include pets in your Emergency Survival Plan
- Is your pet also your assistance animal and need to accompany you?
- Determine where your pets will be relocated to if you need to evacuate.
- Train your pets to be settled in a cage, carrier, crate, horse float etc. for easy transportation.
- Keep vaccinations up-to-date and keep the certificate in a safe pace.
- Cats and Dogs should have an ID tag including two contact numbers. Dogs should also be registered with your local council.
- Ensure Cats and Dogs are microchipped and that your contact details are current on the microchip register. For more information contact your vet.
- Check with your local Council for any Emergency Plan updates.
- Prepare a Pet Emergency Kit for each pet in advance.
- Schedule a time to practice your plan.
Handy Tip:
All pets should be securely contained at the first sign of emergency!
This ensures they are close at hand if you make the decision to evacuate.
- Prepare Your Pet Emergency Kit
- Food and Water: Bowls, and at least one week’s supply of non-refrigerated food
- Medications: Medicines and parasite control, include clear instructions for treatment and any medical records
- Important Documents: Council registration, vaccination documentation, plus current photos of you and your pet in a waterproof bag
- Transportation equipment: Collars, leads or appropriate tethering. As well as cages, carriers, crates, horse floats etc.
- Sanitation: Waste bags, cleaning products, litter, litter tray etc.
- Bedding: Blankets, beds, nesting material etc.
- Comport: Toys and/or favourite items
- Animal First Aid kit
- Emergency contact details: Vet, Council, or animal shelter
- Practice your survival plan
- Practicing your emergency survival plan is a vital part of your preparation. This will help you refine your plan and prevent panic in the event of a real emergency.
Emergency Numbers:
- RSPCA 24/7 Emergency Hotline – 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 645)
- RSPCA QLD Lost &Found – 1300 363 736
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries – 132 523 (For displaced or stranded livestock)
With your family and Livestock safety in mind, make sure you complete your Bushfire Safety Plan.
For more information:
Website: rspcaqld.org.au
Facebook: facebook.com/rspcaqld
Instagram: Instagram.com/rspcaqld
Livestock, not generally described as household pets
Animal welfare in natural disasters
Severe weather patterns, including floods, cyclones, and bushfires, can have serious impacts on Queensland homes and properties.
After human safety, the welfare of your animals should be your most important consideration in the event of a natural disaster.
All owners and carers have a duty of care to provide appropriate food, water, shelter, and treatment for their animals.
There are many actions that you can take before a natural disaster to help ensure the welfare of your animals. There are also simple steps to follow when addressing the needs of animals during, and after, a natural disaster.
It's also important to note that the rules of the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) are sufficiently flexible during times of natural disasters so that cattle owners and producers have a number of options for dealing with displaced cattle.
This guide will help you protect the safety and welfare of your animals before, during and after a natural disaster in Queensland.
Preparing animals for natural disasters
Whether you keep livestock or have a pet at home, preparing for a natural disaster will safeguard the welfare of your animals and assist with recovery after the event.
All owners and carers have a duty of care to provide appropriate food, water, shelter and treatment for injury or disease for their animals.
Before a natural disaster
Having a contingency plan is vital. This may include taking the following actions:
- If you intend to evacuate your property and cannot take your animals with you, ensure they are in a safe place.
- Move livestock to higher ground if there is a risk that lower areas may become flooded. This may also mean opening gates and giving animals access to other paddocks or areas to escape rising waters or out of control bushfires. If possible, keep a map of where you are placing animals in case you are unable to return to your property and other people need to know where they are.
- Remove or clear flammable items - especially near where animals might be kept. Remove rugs and halters from horses as these can often burn or melt.
- Purchase emergency fodder supplies and store them in a safe place, preferably under cover. Ensure that pets have sufficient stocks of food, medication, and water to last a period of emergency.
- Confine your pets in a safe place, preferably inside and under cover, and ensure they have access to plenty of water.
- Ensure that livestock and pets can be identified to help facilitate their return in case they become lost and displaced. Effective methods of identification include brands, NLIS devices, microchips, and name tags.
- Keep stock registers up to date and in a safe place.
- Secure loose objects around the home that may become airborne during high winds and cause damage to animals and property.
- Move animals to an alternative property if practical.
Remember that animals get jittery before a storm and are more easily upset and spooked. Always handle animals carefully in these situations.
Evacuations
Contact your local council or other agencies about emergency animal shelters and yards that may be available for animal evacuations.
Caring for animals in natural disasters
There are some simple steps to follow when addressing the needs of animals in natural disasters:
- Make sure your animals have clean water and food.
- Be careful when handling animals, as they may be frightened or disorientated.
- Be aware of straying stock and wildlife and be careful on the roads.
- Do not allow animals in extreme distress to suffer.
- Contact your local veterinarian regarding sick or injured animals and contact the RSPCA or your local council regarding lost and found animals.
Food and water
The most important consideration in the short term is to ensure your pet or animal has access to suitable, good-quality water.
Food supplies could be in short supply and, with damage to roads, resupply into an area could be delayed.
Owners and carers of companion animals should ration any existing unspoilt feed until new feed can be accessed. You should first use suitable food items from the fridge, which could spoil due to interruptions in power supplies, and conserve any dry or tinned food.
If food supplies are low or have run out, contact your neighbours, any local animal shelters, businesses, and industry organisations to arrange food supplies. Primary producers should refer to information about fodder assistance.
In the longer term, consider moving your pets or livestock to a friend or family member's property if necessary.
Animals found to be starving should not be allowed to suffer and should be fed, relocated, or humanely killed as a last option. Contact your local vet for advice if this is required.
Disposing of animal carcasses
Contact your local council for assistance with animal carcass disposal following declared natural disasters. Any deceased animals must be disposed of safely. Human health concerns, work health and safety precautions and environmental impacts must be considered.
For more information: contact the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
With your family and Livestock safety in mind, make sure you complete your Bushfire Safety Plan.
Contacts
- RSPCA – phone 1300 852 188 or ANIMAL (1300 264 625)
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries – phone 13 25 23
- Department of Environment and Science – phone 1300 130 372 (wildlife)