How to Prepare
• Microchip your horse.
• Include phone numbers of out-of-area friends or family in your microchip registration. It’s a good idea to include alternate contacts in case you can’t be reached.
• Train your horse load into a trailer.
• If possible, make prior arrangements for boarding at stables outside of your city. Locate and record the information.
• Store important documents and paperwork in cloud storage or several hard drives. It’s a good idea to give one to a friend or family who lives outside of your community.
• Paste a rescue alert sticker visibly on one of your home’s windows with the number and species of animals in your household. (If you evacuate with your animals, write “Evacuated” on the sticker.)
Make An Evacuation Kit
Food
- Drums or barrels of water, enough for at least three days.
- A list of all medicines and their doses and if possible, an extra supply of medication. Make sure to check their expiration dates regularly.
- Rope and leather halters. Don’t use nylon halters. They can melt from extreme heat and burn the animal.
Documents and Paperwork
- Copies of ownership records
- Vaccination and health records
- Microchip paperwork
Additional Identification
- Photos of brands
- Photos of any distinctive marks or tattoos
It is never recommended that you leave your horse behind or let your horse loose during an emergency. The Department of Animal Services offers assistance for large animal transportation.
If you absolutely can’t evacuate with your horse and have to set him loose, the National Fire Protection Assn. suggests you make sure to mark or attach your contact information on him by:
- Shaving it into his coat
- Braiding an identification tag into your horse’s mane or tail or attaching it onto a neck band
- Writing it on your horse’s side with spray paint or a livestock marker
Be Prepared
Be sure to have an evacuation kit ready and stored within easy reach.
See also Disaster Preparedness for You and Your Horse »
Fund for Horses 