Caring for animals in natural disasters

All owners and carers have a duty of care to provide appropriate food, water, shelter and treatment for their animals.

After human safety, the welfare of your animals should be your most important consideration in the event of a natural disaster:

• be careful when handling animals, as they may be frightened or disorientated
• be aware of straying stock and wildlife, and be careful on the roads.
• do not allow animals in extreme distress to suffer.

Use the Livestock severe weather emergency plan (PDF, 2.2MB) to prepare your property and livestock for all types of severe weather events.

Food and water

The most important consideration in the short term is to ensure your pet or animal has access to suitable, good-quality water.

Food supplies could be in short supply and, with damage to roads, resupply into an area could be delayed.

Owners and carers of companion animals should ration any existing unspoilt feed until new feed can be accessed. You should first use suitable food items from the fridge, which could spoil due to interruptions in power supplies, and conserve any dry or tinned food.

If food supplies are low or have run out, contact your neighbours, any local animal shelters, businesses and industry organisations to arrange food supplies.

In the longer term, consider moving your pets or livestock to a friend or family member's property if necessary.

Animals found to be starving should not be allowed to suffer and should be fed, relocated or humanely killed as a last option. Contact your local vet for advice if this is required.

Disposing of animal carcasses

You may need to dispose of carcasses if they present a disease risk to humans or other animals. Work health and safety precautions and environmental impacts must also be considered.

Contact your local council for assistance with animal carcass disposal following declared natural disasters.

Health and wellbeing

Learn how to manage diseases and health concerns in animals after a flood.