Whether your animals are part of your family or part of your livelihood, including them in your bushfire survival plan is essential not only for their safety but for yours, too.
“Having a bushfire plan for your animals allows much clearer thinking, and it reduces the stress when it comes time to act,” says Victoria Quested, NSW Rural Fire Service spokesperson.
“Every decision you make ahead of time is one less you’ll have to make in much more difficult conditions.”
Research shows our deep attachment to our animals can influence risky decision-making in an emergency if a plan to protect them is not in place.1
“Animals are very much part of the family,” says Jim Smith, volunteer firefighter and former Deputy Commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW.
“Many firefighters have had to save a dog or a cat before a person will leave their home, and this makes it very dangerous for all involved.”
Creating an evacuation plan for your animals well before there’s a bushfire threat may help reduce the level of risk and stress you’ll experience in an emergency.
Making animals part of your bushfire survival plan
During a bushfire, animals can be impacted by smoke inhalation, which can cause inflammation, increase blood clotting and impair breathing and cardiovascular function.2 They’re also at risk of injury if they find themselves trapped in a space they can’t escape.
“In rural and urban environments, pets and livestock are often contained to a yard or a paddock, or in a home,” says Jim.
“If they can’t get out, they will often panic and try to break free and injure themselves in the process.”
Whether your animals can be evacuated or would need to stay on your property, knowing how you’ll manage them in an emergency may help minimise their stress, risks to their health and their potential for injury. Either way, it’s critical you act early, Victoria says.
“Evacuating your animals the day before elevated fire danger is likely to be a smoother experience than when smoke is in the air, it’s hot and your animals are picking up on your stress levels,” she explains.
How to prepare an evacuation plan
Getting your animals out of harm’s way isn’t always as simple as loading them into the car and driving off – especially if you’re dealing with horses or livestock.
“There’s a bit more that goes into moving a number of horses compared to one cat,” says Victoria.
Here are some things you might want to think about when preparing an evacuation plan for your animals.
Where will you take them?
In your plan, you may wish to identify a list of places where you can move your animals to safety.3 Depending on the number and size of your animals, this may include emergency evacuation shelters, boarding kennels, family members, or agistment properties.
NSW SES recommends horse owners find a Good NEIGHbour to identify suitable places to take their animals.4
In an emergency, your animals may be best left on your property.
“Moving livestock safely isn’t always an option in a way that it may be with small animals, so it is strongly recommended you make a safer place for your large animals on your property,” Victoria adds.
She says this should be a large open area that has limited vegetation or fuel, a reliable water supply and big enough for your animals to move freely if fire does impact the area.
When will you take them?
Relocating pets and livestock after a bushfire has started is dangerous, Victoria advises.
“You don’t want to be driving on smoky roads, and animals can be more difficult to handle in an emergency and when they’re stressed.”
As part of your planning, Victoria recommends identifying the circumstances that will set your bushfire survival plan into action.
“Is the trigger going to be when the bushfire danger rating is forecast for a certain level? Or perhaps it might be the declaration of a total fire ban,” she explains.
How will you take them?
Your bushfire survival plan should also factor in available transport options and the evacuation routes you might take.
“Will you have access to suitable transport vehicles for large animals? Commercial carriers might not be available at short notice,” says Victoria.
“What alternative routes do you have in case your usual roads are impacted by fire?”
Who will take them if you’re not at home?
Consider who might be able to enact your plan for your animals if you’re away when emergency strikes.
“Discussing your bushfire survival plan with your neighbours and other horse or livestock owners in your area ahead of time is critically important,” Victoria shares.
“If they know what measures have been taken on your property and what your plan involves, they may be able to take care of your animals in your absence. That may not always be possible, but if everyone who has access to your property is aware of what’s meant to happen, that gives you a much better chance.”
The power of practice
Victoria adds that you should make sure everyone – family, staff members, and animals – is familiar with your bushfire survival plan. An evacuation rehearsal is the best way to help everyone get comfortable.
“During a bushfire is not the time to be ironing out the kinks in your plan. Your whole family needs to be across what’s going to happen and know each other’s roles,” she says.
“Even simple things like, ‘Can the whole family fit in the car with the three dogs?’ Unless you’ve practised that, you may not know.”
Animals staying on the property should also be familiar with the plan, Victoria says.
“You want to ensure your livestock are familiar with the area and being held within it ahead of an emergency, and you want to make sure the area works, that it’s big enough and your animals are going to be able to sustain themselves there.”
How to identify your pets and livestock
Victoria also recommends making sure your pets’ animal registration and microchip details are up to date, along with your horse and livestock National Livestock Identification System information.5
If you do become separated from your pets or your large animals escape their paddock, this information could help you find them in the aftermath.
She suggests keeping a photo of yourself with your pet in your bushfire survival plan, just in case you need to prove your ownership.
Community networks
Joining or creating a community network can help you prepare for an emergency evacuation.6 This could look like agreeing with those on neighbouring properties on how you might help each other during a bushfire, joining a local community Facebook group or simply getting to know members of your local pony club.
The Community Animal Relief Directory provides a support network for animal management during disasters.7
“Communities with pets and livestock can form networks where animals can be moved from one area to another to ensure they are safer,” says Jim.
“The plan can allow access for many people and their pets to move to different locations depending on the path of the fire.”
How to protect your pets from bushfire
Victoria says a good bushfire survival plan for your animals doesn’t just outline what you’ll do but also ensures you have the equipment you need. Some of the items you might need in an emergency include:8
- Crates, carriers, cages or enclosures
- Non-perishable food, ideally enough for at least three days
- Plenty of water
- A bowl for each pet
- Familiar items, such as a favourite toy or blanket
- Toileting requirements, like a litter tray or poo bags
- A collar with an ID tag, as well as a harness or leash
- Important documents, such as animal registration and vaccination certificates
- A picture of you and your pet in case you become separated
- Medications, medical records and a first aid kit.8
How to protect horses from bushfire
If you can’t move your horses from your property, you may wish to prepare your land to help them avoid danger if a bushfire comes through. Victoria says preparations could include the usual hazard reduction measures such as creating fire breaks and clearing the property of flammable materials.
When there’s a bushfire threat, horses should be moved to a safer paddock. This could be a large, well-grazed paddock, a sand menage or a series of eaten-out paddocks with the internal gates left open. Ideally, your safer paddock should include a dam for your animals to seek relief from the heat.9
“Horses will usually move themselves out of the way of fire, provided they have enough room to move freely,” adds Victoria.
“It’s also important to ensure your fences are reliable. You need to make sure your animals can’t escape, and you can’t rely on electric fencing because if the electricity goes, you need to know your animals are still secure.”
If animals are staying on the property, make sure:
- Water troughs are filled
- Horses are not tethered10
- Horses are not held in a stable or any structure
- Animals have space to move in an area with very little vegetation
- Remove all equipment from horses, including rugs, head halters and metal buckles.11
What to put in a horse emergency kit
If you are evacuating your horses, you might want to pack:11
- Enough feed to last at least three days
- Buckets
- Copies of your horse’s identification, veterinary records and proof of ownership
- Blankets or rugs made from natural fibres
- Spare head collars with long leads (not nylon)
- A record of diet for your animals
- A record of dose and frequency of medication for your horse, plus veterinary contact details.11
Useful resources for animal owners
State and territory organisations can provide extra support and advice for managing animals in a bushfire emergency. These include:
New South Wales: Local Land Services NSW – Managing animal welfare after fire
Northern Territory: Secure NT – Pets and livestock during bushfires
Queensland: Queensland Fire Department – Animal welfare in bushfires
South Australia: Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA – Animal safety in emergencies
Tasmania: Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania – Bushfires on Farming Properties
Victoria: Agriculture Victoria – Victorian Emergency Animal Welfare Plan
Western Australia: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development WA – Animal welfare during bushfires
Australia’s bushfire seasons are becoming increasingly volatile and unpredictable, potentially putting more of us and our animals in harm’s way.12 Tackling outdoor jobs, understanding your local area’s bushfire risk level and preparing your mind for a bushfire are all ways you can prepare and give your animal companions the best chance of survival.
For more expert tips to help you get bushfire ready, visit our you.prepared emergency content hub.
Jim Smith
Jim Smith is an active Rural Fire Service volunteer and former Deputy Commissioner for Fire and Rescue NSW. Jim served as NSW State Emergency Service Commissioner and is a recipient of the Australian Fire Service Medal (2008) and the NSW State Emergency Services Commissioner’s Commendation for Service (2015). He is General Manager of workplace mental health consultancy Ordinary Courage and volunteers as a solicitor with Youth Law Australia. Youi is proud to partner with Jim in the creation of this bushfire preparedness content.
The content in this article has been prepared based on current government and emergency services guidelines and expert advice provided at the time of publishing. This information is subject to change. Please be sure to check for the latest information and always consider your personal circumstances regarding bushfire preparedness and response.
Where you have increased your cover or reduced your excess within 72 hours (or other period noted on your policy schedule) of a flood, storm, hail or bushfire occurring, cover will be limited to the amount that was effective prior to the change. Loss, damage or legal liability caused by, resulting or arising from flood, storm, hail or bushfire during the first 72 hours (or other period noted on your policy schedule) of your policy first being purchased is excluded unless certain conditions apply. Refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement for full T&Cs.
1 Source: Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience – People and their animals in emergencies: snapshots from past emergency events
2 Source: RSPCA – How can I minimise the impact of bushfire smoke on my animals?, March 2020
3 Source: NSW SES – Get ready animals
4 Source: NSW SES – Good NEIGHbours Hack for Horse Owners
5 Source: National Livestock Identification System – Welcome to NLIS
6 Source: Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience – Social resilient networks for improving animal evacuation in emergencies: rural/isolated community perspectives
7 Source: The Bushfire Foundation – Community animal relief directory
8 Source: NSW SES – Get ready animals (Create a Grab & Go bag)
9 Source: Country Fire Authority – Horses and Bushfires, November 2023
10 Source: NSW Department of Primary Industries – Horse safety in emergencies, February 2019
11 Source: SA Country Fire Service – Pets & livestock
12 Source: Bureau of Meteorology – How weather affects fires
