As the Glass Fire in Napa and Sonoma counties has forced the evacuation of thousands of people, many have to make the difficult decision whether to bring their animals or leave them behind. When fire spreads rapidly, some residents donât have the time or means to evacuate pets and livestock. Thatâs where local organizations like the Napa Community Animal Response Team (CART) step in. CART volunteers travel behind evacuation lines to rescue pets and livestock, coordinate donations of feed and supplies, and care for animals staying in shelters.
Dr. Claudia Sonder, the president of Napa CART and an equine veterinarian, says planning ahead is crucial.
âWe talk about humans being prepared for disaster, but we don’t often talk about preparing your animals for disaster,” she said.
Preparing for Evacuation
Here are a few things you can do to prepare your animals before evacuating:
Make an evacuation plan for livestock and practice evacuating more than once ahead of time. Fill out a luggage tag with the animal’s name and your contact information. The tag can be braided into a horses mane and attached to a horn or an ear tag. Prepare a go-bag for your pets and livestock with: Food for at least three days Leashes, halters or harnesses Medication Your vetâs contact information, instructions for feeding and any medical needs Microchip your pets, and make sure the microchip contact information is up to date. Be sure to have photos of your animals for identification purposes.
Find more information from the ASPCA here.
Moving horses and other farm animals out of danger requires a large truck and stock trailer. During fire weather warnings, hitch your trailer to the truck and keep it pointing towards the road to save time during evacuation. If you donât have the equipment to move large animals, CART coordinates volunteers with trailers who will haul animals to shelters.
Sonder says itâs also important to make sure your animals practice evacuating so that theyâll get into the trailer when the time comes.
âWe have a beautiful 34-year-old horse down in the shelter, Big Jim. He needed a ride and just gracefully got right on that trailer. At that same location, we had two other horses that we could not load,” Sonder said.
This is Big Jim, heâs 34, which is like 88 in human years. Like many fire survivors he has evacuated TWICE already this season. heâs in good hands with the Napa countyâs community animal response team. #glassfire â¦@KQEDnewsâ© pic.twitter.com/SujqMgIGUh
— Alice Woelfle (@turfstarwolf) September 28, 2020
If Evacuating With Your Animals Isn’t an Option
Since the Glass Fire broke out, the CART team has evacuated dozens of horses, cows, sheep, goats and other farm animals. They also moved 150 cats out of a rescue facility. Volunteers expect more calls to come in as the fire continues to grow.
If animals canât be evacuated, here are a few things you can do to keep them safe:
Remove blankets, collars, halters, and fly masks. Give them as much space as possible, without allowing access to any roads. Fill all water bowls or troughs. Turn on any sprinkler so the animal has a moist refuge. If possible give the animal access to an irrigated orchard, lawn or vineyard.
Sonder said animals are smart, and that if they’re able to, they will go to safety. âThe majority of animals that I find in the field after a fire that are deceased are the ones that couldn’t get away from the fire directly,” she said.
Jessica Sanders rounds up goats that escaped their enclosure as the Glass Fire burns nearby on September 27, 2020 in St. Helena, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Where to Evacuate Your Animals
Large Animal Evacuations
As of Sept. 28, the Sonoma County Fairgrounds is not accepting any more large animals. Horses can be taken to Sonoma Horse Park 7600 Lakeville Highway, Petaluma. Livestock and chickens can be taken to the Petaluma Fairgrounds at 100 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma. For Assistance with livestock evacuations, call Sonoma County CART (707) 861-0699 or Napa county CART (707) 732-1555.
Small Animal Evacuations
Sonoma County Animal Services: (707) 565-7103 North Bay Animal Services: (707) 762-6227 Napa County CART: (707) 732-1555.
Lost Pets and Livestock
If you find an animal that is lost, it’s best to keep it in the county where it was found, if possible, for the best chance for reunification with its owner.
You can report found pets or search for lost ones through the County of Sonoma database. The county also has a map of lost dogs and cats.
Local shelter and community Facebook pages have become hubs for reuniting owners with lost pets:
Humane Society of Sonoma County Josie’s Lost Dog Alert of Sonoma County
Copyright 2020 KQED