URBANA — When tornado sirens become frequent and sudden storms appear out of thin air, it becomes apparent there is a need for a disaster preparedness plan for farmers and large animal owners alike. What happens when disaster strikes and a herd of cattle are grazing pasture?
Dr. Yvette Johnson-Walker, a faculty member at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, has decades of experience training organizations on animal emergency preparedness. She outlines important points for making an agricultural animal disaster preparedness plan.
The Disasters
While farmers are no stranger to natural disasters, the increase in frequency and destruction of climate-related disasters have been catching many off guard.
“One of the big concerns resulting from climate change is that we are seeing a lot more extreme weather events,” Dr. Johnson-Walker explains. “So even in places where they typically anticipate certain types of natural disasters, we are seeing these events much more frequently, and they are much more severe.”
From wildfires that ignite forests in an instant, to slower-moving but still devastating floods, to ice storms that damage infrastructure, many disasters force people to evacuate their homes. But what about their livestock, which represent their livelihood or may feel like family members? Caring for these animals in extreme situations requires creating a disaster preparedness plan long before the problems arise.
Animal Health and Welfare
A disaster preparedness plan puts animal health and welfare at the forefront.
“One of the biggest things that we often overlook is simply the mental stress and strain on owners of the animals, and the stress and anxiety and fear on the part of the animals,” Dr. Johnson-Walker states. “Animals may need some behavioral health and support from that trauma and understanding from people that the behavior may or may not be impacted by that stress.”
Read the full article from College of Veterinary Medicine.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.