PREPAREDNESS and Evacuation

​The Yellow Dog Brand Livestock Evacuation is here for you and your livestock. We will partner with offices of emergency management, law enforcement, and fire agencies to provide the best service to you and your livestock. Our common goal is to remove livestock threatened by wildfires no matter where the flames may rage here in the PNW. We will provide a team that knows livestock as well as wildland fires. Half of our volunteers are firefighters here in the State of Washington. Below is some advice from the American Veterinarian Medical Association (AVMA). As always contact us for more information. 

• Develop an evacuation plan for all of your animals and practice the plan.
• Keep written directions to your home near your telephone. This will help you and others explain to emergency responders exactly how to get to your home.
• Identify alternate sources of food and water. Because floodwaters are often contaminated with sewer waste and may also pose a risk of chemical contamination, animals should be prevented as much as possible from accessing and drinking them.
• Have well maintained backup generators and a source of fuel for use in food-animal production operations.
• Keep vehicles well maintained and full of gas.
• Keep emergency cash on hand. (Remember: ATMs may not work.)
• If evacuating is impossible, decide on the safest housing option for your animals, realizing that the situation is still life threatening.
• Assess the stability and safety of barns and other structures, promptly remove dead trees, and minimize debris in fields and the immediate environment.
• If you live in an area prone to wildfires, clear away brush and maintain a defensible space around structures.
• Keep a list of the species, number and locations of your animals near your evacuation supplies and note animals’ favorite hiding spots. This will save precious rescue time.

Equine identification

• microchip
• tattoo
• halter tag
• neck collars
• leg band
• brand
• mane clip
• luggage tag braided into tail or mane
• clipper-shaved information in the animal’s hair
• livestock marking crayon, non-toxic, non-water-soluble spray paint, or non-water-soluble markers to write on the animal’s side
• permanent marker to mark hooves

Livestock identification

• neck chain
• ear notches
• leg band
• ear tag
• brand
• livestock marking crayon, non-toxic, non-water-soluble spray paint, or markers to write on the animal’s side
• wattle notching
• ear tattoo
• back or tail tag

Equine and livestock evacuation can be challenging. Develop an evacuation plan in advance and make sure animals are familiar with being loaded onto a trailer. Locate and prearrange an evacuation site for your animals outside your immediate area. Possible sites include:

• 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 quickly transport all of your animals to an evacuation site, contact neighbors, local haulers, farmers, producers or other transportation providers (The Yellow Dog Brand Livestock Evacuation) to establish a network of available and reliable resources that can provide transportation in the event of a disaster.

If evacuation of horses/livestock is impossible, relocate them to the safest place possible based on the type of imminent disaster and the environment, realizing that the situation could be life threatening. Make sure they have access to hay or another appropriate and safe food source, as well as clean water and the safest living area possible, including high ground above flood level. Do not rely on automatic watering systems, because power may be lost.

The decision to leave your horses/livestock in the field or in the barn should be based on the risks of injury resulting from the disaster and from the immediate environment during that disaster. Factors to consider include the stability of the barn, the risk of flooding and the amount of trees and debris in the fields. If time permits, secure or remove all outdoor objects that could turn into dangerous flying debris.