Page 32 - Speedhorse Canada Spring 2018

Disaster Preparedness
by John Moorehouse
Benjamin Franklin once said that, if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. If you are a horse owner, failing to plan properly for the care of your animals in the event of a natural disaster can be deadly for them.
Preparing your property for a disaster is serious business. When you are also managing the care
for a large animal, such as a horse, the stress can magnify exponen- tially—especially in the event of an evacuation.
Last summer, we all witnessed the potential destructive power
of Mother Nature, whether it be from storm damage or flooding generated by three major hurricanes (Harvey, Irma and Maria), the wildfires that decimated the West Coast and Pacific Northwest, or the major earthquake that devastated Mexico City.
Disaster can result on a house- hold level from smaller events
such as tornadoes, winter storms that cause lengthy power outages and unnavigable roads, major rain events, drought, or forced evacua- tions due to the presence of hazard- ous materials.
Above all, being prepared is your best defense to safeguard your prop- erty, and your horses.
Not sure where to start? We have gathered information from a variety of authorities in the equine world, including the Humane Society, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, and the Center for Equine Health at UC Davis, to comprise this general guide on what to do before a disaster takes place. Because before a disaster takes place is when you should do most of your preparation and when you should make sure you have what you need
on hand well before unforeseen events take place. Depending on the situation, you may have just a few minutes to evacuate.
Take a Look. Make an honest evaluation of your property. Where will be the best place to house your animals in the event of each type of disaster?
SafeTy firST. You can take a few measures now to protect your barn and, with it, your animals, such as making sure fire extinguish- ers are readily accessible around
the barn. Lightning rods or even a professionally installed security sys- tem can help mitigate the potential damage from a fire.
idenTificaTion. Make sure each of your horses are properly identified so that you can be
32 SPEEDHORSE CANADA, Spring 2018