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Disaster Preparedness




Nobody wants to think about disasters, but they happen everywhere across the country. We experience floods, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, extreme heat/cold, and fires. Your first line of offense should be a good preparedness plan. Having a plan in place can save you, and your donkeys (and other pets) a great deal of stress should a disaster occur.


It’s so important to have plans in place ahead of severe weather and other adversities to protect your animals. Pets and livestock rely on us to protect them and keep them safe in all types of emergencies. Our preparedness will directly impact their well-being.


Before Emergency


Assess farm and home. Reinforce your house, barn and outbuildings with hurricane straps and other measures depending on expected weather event(s). Perform regular safety checks on all utilities, buildings and facilities on your farm. Use only native and deep-rooted plants and trees in landscaping (non-native plants are less durable and hardy in your climate and may become dislodged by high winds or broken by ice and snow). Remove all barbed wire and consider rerouting permanent fencing so that animals may move to high ground in a flood and to low-lying areas during high winds.


Emergency telephone numbers. Make sure you have contact numbers including neighbors, veterinarian, state veterinarian, poison control, local animal shelters, animal control, county extension services, local agricultural schools, and trailering resources. Include a contact person outside of the disaster area, such as a friend or family member, whom you will be checking in with. Give your contact information to anyone helping to care for your livestock and provide them with your out of area contact as well. Coordinate with neighbors to make sure that you can all tend to each other’s livestock if away when disaster strikes.


Documentation. Place your donkeys’ 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 will be easy for you to access, so you can take them with you when you and your donkeys evacuate.


Keep halters and leads ready for your donkeys. If you need to move fast, the last thing you want to do is have to look around for the items you need to get your stock to safety. If possible, have separate halters and lead ropes in an emergency bag/storage box for quick access. It may be helpful to write your phone number on the halters with permanent marker ahead of time.


Prepare an emergency kit. Your animals need an emergency kit just like you do. Here’s some items you should consider:

  • Bandages and tape

  • Scissors, knives

  • Antibiotic ointment

  • Wound cleanser, hydrogen peroxide

  • Medications

  • Supplies such as rope, tape, wire cutters

You should review the kit regularly to ensure the contents are fresh and serviceable.


Contact your state department of agriculture and county extension service. These folks can help identify the type of disasters in your area and are vital in the event of an evacuation as they will be able to provide information on evacuation sites/shelters. If animals cannot be evacuated, these agencies may also be able to provide on-farm help.


Feed, Water, and Shelter. The three requirements to ensure your animals are safe. Water is crucial as often wells and municipal water supplies are contaminated or unavailable during disasters. A generator with safe supply of fuel may be essential if you have electrical equipment necessary to the wellbeing of your stock. In extreme cold/blizzards, it’s important to ensure that water is kept from freezing or is replaced often. If your area is subject to flooding, you may want to consider vaccinating for botulism. Equines are likely to ingest spores from rotting plant/animal materials which may lead to botulism poisoning. Botulism vaccines are required 3x initially (one per month) and thereafter annually.


Build a strong shelter. Make sure you have a sturdy shelter that can protect animals and livestock from the elements. It should be able to sustain high winds and heavy rain/snow and keep them all dry. Consider building it on high ground to avoid flooding. A livestock shelter should provide enough space for each animal. A general guideline is to provide enough space roughly four times its body size. This will help keep each animal comfortable during very uncomfortable situations. Provide warm bedding. During a blizzard or extremely frigid weather, warm bedding is essential for all livestock. Heavy rains also can make the air cold and moist. Make sure that there is adequate bedding for each animal whether it gets used or not. Replace it when needed. Provide adequate cooling options. Excessive heat can be hazardous to livestock and other animals. Make sure shaded areas are available and provide an adequate amount of water. Animals might drink more on extremely hot days. Provide proper ventilation and install fans or open barn doors to keep air moving. Some animals might need sprinklers to keep cool or to get their hooves wet to keep body temperatures normal.


Plan ahead to take feed, supplements, and water with you if evacuation becomes necessary. Be sure to include enough water (12 to 20 gallons per day, per donkey), hay, feed and medications for several days for each donkey. Be sure hay is dry before storing it. Hay that is too moist may spontaneously combust. Store hay outside the barn in a dry, covered area when possible.


During/After Disaster:


Make sure every animal has durable and visible identification. Whether you are evacuating with your animals, or have to leave them behind, it’s best if your animals can be easily identified. Leave their halters on, if safe to do so, attach luggage tags, or livestock tags with your animal’s name, your name, your phone number, your email address, and if possible, the name and phone number of your contact outside of the disaster area. If you have to leave your animals behind, you can also use permanent marker to write on their hooves and/or body, or apply a leg band. It’s best to have a form of permanent identification as well. Microchips and tattoos are a great way to permanently identify your stock.


If you need to evacuate, plan on taking enough feed, supplements, and water for one week minimum.


Evacuation Strategy. Do not delay if you are instructed to evacuate. Determine if you are able to evacuate based on the type of disaster and the safety, availability, and stability of shelter sites. Determine where you will go if you have to leave. Identify friends or relatives who could house livestock ahead of time. Know where fairgrounds or other livestock evacuation locations are. Determine how you will evacuate. Know ahead of time how livestock will be transported and/or housed


After Care. Be sure to have all your donkeys checked by a veterinarian after immediate emergency has passed. If there was a fire, smoke inhalation can cause serious lung damage and respiratory complications. Equines are prone to stress and may experience colic after a fire or other disaster. If exposed to contaminated water, botulism and other digestive issues may arise.



This document was prepared by Tracy Naves 01/15/25

 
 
 

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