OWNERS of companion animals, horses and livestock have been urged to develop a Plan for Animal Welfare in Emergencies (PAWE) to include in their household bushfire and emergency plans, before summer conditions escalate.

PAWE templates for bushfires, as well as cyclones, floods, storms and heatwaves, are available on the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD’s) website.

The refreshed website features valuable preparedness, response and recovery information on animals in emergencies.

DPIRD animal welfare in emergencies coordinator Brett Hopley urged animal and livestock owners to download and complete a PAWE template for their household as soon as possible.

“It is the responsibility of owners and carers to keep animals safe during an emergency and the best protection for you and your animals is to have a practised plan in place,” he said.

“The PAWE is a great way to identify triggers for evacuation, evacuation routes, transport, where to go and how to protect animals if they cannot be evacuated and contained.

“The templates also include provisions for an emergency kit, preparing your property and ensuring your pets and livestock have appropriate identification, in case you are separated from your animals during an emergency.”

In the event of a natural hazard emergency, it is critical not to leave it too late to implement emergency plans and risk the safety of animals and their owners.

If animals cannot be evacuated, it is important to identify a safe place for them to shelter, along with sufficient food and water for a prolonged period.

“Animals may become stressed and behave differently during a fire or emergency so it’s important to evacuate early to a safe place,” Mr Hopley said.

“Have conversations now with family and friends and check with local governments on who could assist or host animals – particularly large animals, like horses.

“We suggest horse owners who need to evacuate and leave their horses behind to open all internal gates but do not release their horses externally, which could pose a traffic hazard.”

In the event of a significant emergency, DPIRD may decide to activate the State Support Plan - Animal Welfare in Emergencies to help coordinate a State-level emergency response for all animals.

Stay up to date during an emergency using the Emergency WA website or app, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) Facebook page, and listening to ABC Local Radio.

PAWE templates are available on the DPIRD website dpird.wa.gov.au via the ‘Animal welfare during bushfires’ tab on the homepage.