During the floods in Lismore, when one family had to evacuate quickly in the middle of the night, one of their dogs followed but the other two stayed behind, too afraid to go through the water.

As the family sat in a canoe tied to the house they could hear their dogs crying as their heads bumped up against the ceiling. Fortunately the dogs were able to get into the roof cavity and were rescued two days later, but were understandably traumatised.

Caring for pets before a flood

When you’re making your emergency plan, such as a P-CEP plan, it can be easy to forget these very important family members; their needs are unique and can add a whole level of stress to what is already a challenging experience.

Image: Excerpt from the Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) Workbook.

Many shelters and emergency accommodation facilities don’t allow pets so you may need to arrange alternative care in the event of an evacuation. Are family or friends prepared to care for your dog or cat? What about your chooks, guinea pigs, ferret, rat, or snake?

Different animals will respond differently when scared. Cats will hide in their favourite places so become familiar with these. Dogs may become irritable and aggressive or bolt in a blind panic. Make sure your pets are microchipped (where possible).

Just as you would prepare an emergency kit for your family, you also need to do so for your pets. This should include:

Food and clean water for at least 5 days
Medications with instructions
Bedding
Favourite toys
Collar with ID tag, harness, or lead
Carry boxes, especially for cats
Litter trays, litter, and waste bags
Current photos of you and your pets for identification
Contact details for your vet
Vaccination and medical records (animal shelters may not take an unvaccinated animal)
Evidence if your pet is a service animal

Caring for pets after a flood

And just as there are health and safety considerations for humans when returning after a flood, the same goes for animals.

Floodwater can carry diseases such as leptospirosis , E.coli, and salmonella. They can also carry parasitic worms and the inevitable increase in mosquitoes after a flood increases the risk of heart worm, so be sure to keep your pet’s worm treatments up-to-date.

Empty any containers that might be holding water and make sure your pet has uncontaminated water to drink. Throw out any food that has been contaminated with floodwater. The RSPCA advises “if your pet is showing signs of vomiting, diarrhoea, illness, or dermatitis, contact your local vet.”

And don’t just let your pets roam loose when returning home. Fences may be down, and their favourite and familiar spaces may be gone too. They may be traumatised and disoriented and not want to let you out of their sight.

Be patient and try to get them back into their usual routine as far as possible. If you are concerned about your pet’s behaviour, talk to your vet.

Caring for wildlife

Pets aren’t the only animals affected by floods.

While wild and native animals have largely adapted to survive extreme weather events they can still be washed away from their usual habitat and become exhausted and stressed if caught in flood waters, and they may end up on your property or in your house so it’s a good idea to check for any surprise visitors when you return home.

Darryl Jones is a professor of behavioural ecology and has written numerous books about Australian wildlife and those animals that live alongside us in Brisbane. Darryl says that any rescued animal must go to a qualified carer, but you may not be able to get to a carer immediately so there are some things you will need to know.

Firstly, nearly all animals can swim, even snakes, which can scoot along on top of the water. And if you find anything in your house after a flood it’ll probably be a snake. Most snakes, like you, are looking for dry ground and warmth. Some, such as red-bellied blacks, are happy in the water, whereas brown snakes may want to join you on higher ground. If you are in any doubt about the type of snake don’t touch or attempt to catch it. If possible, contact a reptile handler who, if they can’t get to you, may be able to advise you on the best course of action.

The animals that really won’t last if trapped in floodwaters are non-aquatic birds whose feathers lack the oil that keeps birds like ducks and herons floating. Non-aquatic birds’ feathers will become water-logged and they will sink.

“If you can see a bird struggling in the water,” Darryl advises, “get a stick and try to get it onto dry land.”

Darryl also advises that if you find something resembling a rat in your house, don’t assume that’s what it is. There are a lot of small marsupials that may be mistaken for the introduced species especially if they’re wet and bedraggled.

Image: Westender. Kurilpa is named after the local fawn-footed melomy or ‘water rat’.

Darryl says if you find an animal that looks like it needs help be careful,

“They won’t be in the mood for thanking you. They will scratch and bite you because they don’t know they’re being rescued. So pick them up in a towel and get them to somewhere dry then leave them to come out naturally.”

Obviously if the animal looks injured contact a carer.

Our pets and the animals we live amongst make life better for us in so many ways; let’s not forget their needs when the next flood comes along.

Rose Lane is a freelance writer who has lived in Brisbane since 1985 and in 4101 since 2019. She has been a regular contributor to The Westender and was a Community Correspondent with ABC Radio Brisbane from 2014-2016. Her writing has appeared in The Guardian, The Big Issue, New Matilda and other publications.

Resources

Floods 2022: Helping animals and pet owner tips by RSPCA Qld

Plan for your Pets by Queensland Government

Pet Severe Weather Emergency Plan by Get Ready Queensland

Planning for pets in emergencies by Animal Welfare Victoria

Video demonstrating evacuation with pets (more related to bushfires but same principles apply)