Hurricane Aftercare
Tips offered on caring for animals after the storm hits.
While parts of the country are dealing with no water, others are dealing with too much and severe wind damage. Hurricanes cause incredible amounts of damage. Being prepared is the best prescription for dealing with hurricanes. However, since hurricane season is in full swing, it is important to know how to care for animals after the storm.
Clemson University’s Livestock Poultry Health (CULPH) department says human life and safety will be the first priority, but there will be systems in place at the county and state level to assist people with animals and agricultural businesses affected by the storm, including donations of hay, equipment and volunteer personnel. The first place to contact is your county emergency management department (EMD). They will seek resources to assist you and will also advise you how or if your assistance is needed should you care to offer it. Affected counties with overwhelmed resources will request help from state EMD who, in turn, will request outside help if needed.
Document property damages, along with photos and report to appropriate parties, including your Extension agent who serves on the county emergency board.
If animals are missing, check to determine if they may have been collected and transported to a holding facility where you can claim them. You can also search via flyer, newspaper ad, Craigslist or social media sites.
Examine your property for hazards, especially before letting animals temporarily sheltered indoors back out onto pastures. Hazards include damaged fences and waste systems, downed power lines, flooded areas, gas and utility leaks, debris, looters, strange animals (including wildlife), and toxic plant parts (such as downed cherry tree leaves) that may have blown in. Observe any animals found on your property and report them so they can be checked or scanned for ID and returned to their owners.
Check animals for injuries, including feet and skin in animals with prolonged exposure to flooded areas, and for wire or string wrapped around limbs which may not be immediately obvious. If animals have been off regular feeding schedules, move back to regular diets slowly. Proportion access to water gradually, especially to pigs: offer small amounts initially to avoid salt poisoning.
CULPH adds producers should expect that animals may be temporarily disoriented, nervous and even fractious following the event since the character, feel, smell, look and layout of their surroundings has changed. Animals that don’t normally act up may fight to reestablish hierarchy and may need to be separated. As much as possible, use familiar personnel and protocols to assist them to re-acclimate.
USDA assistance
Livestock owners and contract growers who experience above-normal livestock deaths due to specific weather events, as well as to disease or animal attacks, may qualify for assistance under USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Program.
Livestock, honeybee and farm-raised fish producers who suffer animal, feed, grazing and associated transportation cost losses due to an extreme weather event may qualify for assistance through USDA’s emergency assistance program tailored for their agricultural sectors. Producers who suffer losses to or are prevented from planting agricultural commodities not covered by federal crop insurance may be eligible for assistance under USDA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Programs if the losses were due to natural disasters.
USDA also can provide financial resources through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to help with immediate needs and long-term support to help recover from natural disasters and conserve water resources.
Farmers and ranchers needing to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters can apply for assistance through USDA’s Emergency Conservation Program. USDA also has assistance available for eligible private forest landowners who need to restore forestland damaged by natural disasters through the Emergency Forest Restoration Program. USDA’s Emergency Watershed Protection Program also can help relieve imminent threats to life and property caused by flood, fires and other natural disasters that impair a watershed.
Visit USDA’s disaster resources website to learn more about USDA disaster preparedness and response. For more information on USDA disaster assistance programs, please contact your local USDA Service Center. To find your local USDA Service Center, go to offices.usda.gov.
Editor’s Note: This article was compiled with information from Clemson University Livestock Poultry Health and the USDA.