Resources for pet and livestock owners
Find information to help keep animals safe during disasters.
- ACT Wildlife (24 hours): 0432 300 033
- RSPCA ACT (business hours): 02 6287 8100
- Access Canberra (after hours): 13 22 81
Animals are a critical part of many people’s lives. Some people choose to have them as pets. Others depend on them for support with daily tasks, or for their wellbeing. For many, animals are also a source of income.
When a disaster happens, losing animals - no matter their role - can make recovery much harder. That’s why it is helpful for pet and livestock owners to plan. Knowing what to do before, and how to respond after, helps protect both you and your animals.
Planning to keep your pets safe
Emergencies can be stressful when you are responsible for others. Having a clear plan of action can make a big difference. Discuss your Pet Emergency plan with everyone in your home and keep it somewhere known.
Consider how different hazards might affect your home and the region. Each hazard requires specific actions from pet owners.
Make sure your pets are easy to identify. This might include using a collar and tag. In the ACT, all dog and cat owners must microchip and register their animals. Renew your animal's registration every year:
Decide if you will take your pets with you if you need to leave during an emergency. Make a list of the places you might take them. This should begin with friends or family members’ homes. Animal boarding services might also help. Ensure all locations are away from any potential danger.
Think about what extra items you might need to add to your home emergency kit. Also consider what you might need to have on standby.
When there is an emergency, keep your pets nearby. Contact the place you have chosen to take them to, making sure you have transportation.
If you can’t stay at home and have nowhere to go, an evacuation centre may help. If a centre is open, staff from Domestic Animal Services will be there. They can help you find short‑term shelter for your pet.
Pets can remain with owners in public places but need to be under control at all times. This means they need to be on a leash or contained.
If you own an assistance animal, you have the right to access all public places with your animal. Read more on owning an assistance animal in the ACT.
If you must leave pets behind:
- make sure they remain safely within your property, but do not tether them
- leave sufficient food and water for several days
- ensure they are wearing identification
- leave a note on your front door with your contact details.
Navigating recovery with pets
Pets can get lost during disasters. If you are looking for your animal:
- check the City Services website impound page
- contact the Canberra Lost Pet Database
- send a lost animal report to RSPCA ACT.
If you have found a pet, you can take it to:
- your local vet clinic
- RSPCA in Weston
- Symonston Domestic Animal Services.
Resources to help you care for your pets in an emergency
Planning to keep livestock and horses safe
Owning large animals can make emergencies even more stressful as they may be difficult to move and housed in areas that quickly become inaccessible.
Like pets, make sure your livestock and horses are identified. Microchip your horse and label their halter. Cattle, sheep, goats and pigs must be tagged with an approved National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) tag.
Make a list of places where you could move your horse or livestock if you plan to evacuate. This could include friends’, family members’ or neighbours’ properties. We may set up ‘relocation centres’ for large animals during a disaster. These locations will be communicated to the public.
Plan to move your animals early. During an emergency, animals can become distressed, which can make them hard to move. Practise setting up your float or other transport option regularly. Time how long it takes.
If you have moved livestock during an emergency, you will need to ensure the NLIS is updated.
Work with your neighbours to create a community plan. If you agist your animals, discuss your emergency plans with your landlord.
Think about what items you might need to add to your home emergency kit. Also consider the things you need to have ready.
If you need to leave horses or livestock behind, take steps to keep them safe:
- choose an area, where possible, that has more than one entry or exit point so that animals can move away from danger
- do not tether them
- provide access to food and water
- remove halters, ropes, rugs and other equipment that could get caught or cause injury.
Be better prepared to manage your large animals and livestock
Navigating recovery with large animals and livestock
Life after a disaster can be hard, especially when your home or business is affected. For livestock owners, these impacts often intersect. Dealing with the loss of livestock while still caring for those that remain can add to this burden.
It may be helpful to approach the challenge by breaking tasks down into small steps. For example:
- When it is safe, check how many animals are still on your property.
- Keep them contained and provide them with food and water.
- Watch them closely over the next days and weeks for injuries or signs of illness.
- Arrange for animal disposal to occur as soon as possible. Contact the ACT Government for advice.
- Check your property for hazards, clean up affected areas and fix damaged fences and shelters.
- If you cannot provide enough feed or water, seek help. Find out what the ACT Government might assist with in the short term after a disaster.
- Once all other steps are complete, bring evacuated animals back to your property.