Cyclones and animal welfare: What to do

Please check our RSPCA location closures due to Cyclone Alfred.

Here are some RSPCA tips to keep your pets and livestock safe first, helping wildlife, and tips on entertaining your pets when stuck indoors in wet weather.

Queensland’s local council websites include disaster dashboards providing important information to support local communities during and after disaster events. Find your local council disaster dashboard here. 

Act early and move livestock to higher ground if your paddocks are known to flood.

• Know how you will transport all your animals if needed.
• Ensure you have suitable yards, loading facilities, and vehicles ready.
• Talk to your neighbours and other livestock owners who can assist in moving large numbers of animals to safe properties.
• Avoid transporting livestock during active emergencies.
• Call your Council to find animal evacuation centres taking large animals, usually at showground facilities, and plan ahead your travel route.

If you have livestock remaining at your property, ensure they have shelter, space for each animal, and appropriate shelter from the weather. Attach identification tags to your animals with a contact number securely to the mane of horses or other livestock. These tags should be prepared in advance and kept in your animal emergency kit.

Keep an eye on your local government websites and weather warnings.

Here are some handy contact numbers and alert websites.

• If you don’t already have one, now is the time to have a Pet Emergency Action Plan.
• Prepare your pets by ensuring you have enough food, water, medication, identification, bedding, toys, carriers and leads on hand and cleaning supplies available.
• Create a safe and secure space for all of your animals
• Don’t tether pets outside if possible – they may do themselves more harm trying to break free
• Provide plenty of access to water and food in heavy bowls if outdoors
• Keep cats indoors
• Ensure objects in your yard are tied down.

Have a plan in place with your friends and family if you do need to evacuate. If you can't find safe accommodation with your pets, the following centres are accepting animals. Please refer to the council dashboard for up-to-date information.

Gold Coast residents

• Burleigh Waters Community Centre
• Nerang Bicentennial Community Centre

Sunshine Coast residents

• Nambour Showground

Follow the on-site instructions at the evacuation centre and always keep pets in crates or on a lead. To reduce stress for your animals and others, keep them away from others in the evacuation centre. You will be required to stay with your animals on-site.

Make sure your animals and livestock have proper identification, such as a microchip or identification tags.

Handy tip: you can tie luggage tags to your horse’s halter displaying the horse’s name, owner’s name, and contact number for easy identification.

Take a sheet, blankets or towels to cover your pet’s crate at the evacuation centre so they feel at home. You should also stick to your pet’s usual diet and regular feeding routine to minimise stress and prevent digestive issues.

If your pet is unwell, contact your local vet and inform site staff of your concerns and also let them know if your animals aren’t vaccinated.

Avoid sharing water sources between your horse or livestock and other animals to reduce the risk of illness.

1. If you’ve found an injured or sick wild animal, contact the RSPCA 1300 ANIMAL Hotline (1300 264 625). Our team can offer advice over the phone from 7am to 7pm, 7 day a week and respond with an RSPCA Rescue Unit if available and in your area
2. You can also contact your nearest wildlife carer, or where safe to do so, transport the animal to your nearest vet. Read about keeping a wildlife kit in your car..
3. Animals will likely be in shock and distress following severe weather events, don’t put yourself in harm’s way to rescue them if not safe to do so.
4. Watch the roads! After natural disasters displaced animals may turn up in odd places seeking refuge. Here are more tips for driving safely with wildlife around.
5. Keep your pets inside or secure at dawn and dusk when a lot of native animals are out and about.
6. Learn about pouch checking deceased wildlife.

During flood and heavy rainfall, animals may become displaced or lost when homes, sheds and fences are damaged or destroyed. Lost animals should be returned to their home property or correct ownership as soon as possible and appropriate care and treatment for any disease or injury provided. 

• SES can assist for pets and their owners that need rescuing on 132 500.
• For sick or injured pets contact your local veterinarian.
• For lost and found companion animals, contact our RSPCA Qld Lost & Found team on 1300 363 736 and contact your local Council.
• If you notice displaced livestock in need of rescue contact QFES and your local council. 
• For all other matters, contact Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.