Pets and livestock

The best way to protect your household from the effects of a disaster is to have a disaster plan. If you are a pet or livestock owner, that plan must include your pets and livestock. Proper planning and preparedness measures, such as creating emergency kits, securing shelter, and identifying evacuation routes, can help safeguard our pets and livestock.

Pet Owners

Your pets are important members of your family, so they need to be included in your family’s emergency plan. 

• Visit ready.gov/pets for more information and resources. 
• Learn how to prepare a disaster plan for your pet by visiting AmericanHumane.org. 
• Create a pet emergency preparedness kit.
• The Ulster County Animal Response Team (UCART) can also offer humane care and treatment of animals in case of a disaster or other situations that cause animal suffering by rescuing, relocating, fostering, etc.; and will assist in protecting public health concerns where humans and animals interact.
• Cold Weather Pet Safety by the American Veterinary Medical Association: Resources and steps to take to keep a variety of different pets safe during winter weather.
• Pets and Disasters from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC): How to make a disaster plan and evacuation kit and information on sheltering in place or sheltering during an evacuation.
• Pet-friendly lodging information is available from petswelcome.com.
• Animals in Evacuation Shelters:  Many shelters cannot accommodate pets; this page from the CDC covers ways to minimize health risks if animals are housed in a public evacuation shelter. 
• Protecting Pets and Livestock from Wildfire Smoke. 

Livestock Owners

Livestock play critical roles in agriculture and food production. Safeguarding them during emergencies helps sustain our communities and the broader economy. Consider the following tips when learning how to protect your livestock during an emergency:

• Sign up for the Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster County Agriculture and Horticulture Newsletter for updates and information on livestock and more!
• Do you have a plan for your livestock should disaster strike? Use this checklist to prepare. 
• Keep identification and medical records handy, including vaccination records, ownership information, and any special instructions or requirements for each animal.
• Stay up to date on emerging diseases at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center and via the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.   
• Dairy and Livestock Farm: Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Guide
• Learn about caring for livestock after a disaster.
• What do you do if you lost livestock in a climate disaster? Click here for information on the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and here for a complete list of Disaster Assistance Programs.
• New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM) is the official source of information for agriculture which includes the animal industry division.
• Protecting Pets and Livestock from Wildfire Smoke.