Evacuating horses and other large animals during a wildfire needs to happen fast.
Chris Rourke knows how crucial it is to get a beloved horse to safety. She boards her daughter’s retired show horse, CD Shane Charm, near Cimmaron which is about halfway between Gunnison and Montrose. The ranch owner there started evacuating animals last night as the Gold Mountain fire burning on the Western Slope grew rapidly.
“This horse, she's family, and you worry,” Rourke said. “I'm just trusting that everything's going to work out … but I'm just sort of holding my breath.”
Rourke said she’s thought it through in the past that evacuation due to a wildfire could be a possibility, “but until it comes on your doorstep, it's a practical task that you kind of check off in your brain as having a plan,” she said. “But then when something comes up like this, you're like, have I done everything? Is everything going to be okay?”
Colorado State University Veterinary Health System has these tips to help prepare for evacuating horses and large animals.
Put together your animal’s go kit in advance. Here’s a list of key essentials for each animal:
- Halter and lead rope
- Feed/water buckets
- Five- to seven-day supply of feed and supplements
- At least two weeks’ worth of any daily medications
- A basic equine or large animal first aid kit
Also gather these documents if you have them, especially if you are going to be at a community evacuation site:
- Proof of ownership and or brand inspection
- Medical history including vaccination records and Coggins (EIA) tests results
- Microchip number and registration if your horse has a microchip
It is vital to practice loading your animals into various trailers with different handlers. This way your horse or other animals can respond appropriately during an urgent emergency situation.
Smoke can be dangerous for horses and other livestock. It’s important to minimize exposure to smoke and dust. Keep animals indoors if possible, moisten hay and feed and limit sweeping and leaf blowing. If your animal is exposed to smoke, dust and ash, be sure to watch for respiratory issues like cough, labored breathing or lethargy and contact your veterinarian if you have concerns.
Also, Colorado Horse Rescue has developed a free online system to connect horse owners with volunteers who have trailers and can help transport horses during evacuations. Owners and volunteers need to pre-register at www.horsealert.org. If an owner needs evacuation help, they can submit a request through the online platform. This triggers text alerts to nearby available volunteers, who will help if possible.
If horses must be left behind Colorado Horse Rescue provides this guidance: Consider cutting fencing at corners to make it easier for animals to find and allow the possibility of escape. Close barn or enclosure doors because stressed animals stay or retreat to familiar places even if still dangerous.
Be sure to take photos of your horses and create detailed descriptions including breed, color, size and other notable features. Place identification on halters, neck band or leg bands, tags braided into the mane, use livestock chalk or paint, and write contact information in marker on hooves.
