Damummis'- Auf wiedersehen

[sufficientforme]

During the local forest fires this year we were on mandatory evacuation orders, we had just sold our horse trailer so I had to call a rescue organization and they hauled livestock out for us and would not take a cent! Of course I made a donation to their organization after the whole ordeal. We were so grateful to the for doing it. Are there any around you that could help? But the biggest question is how far would you have to go to be out of danger and is there such a place to take them? Like Sunsaver said it's a choice, I cried having to leave my turkeys/chickens behind because there was no where to take them, we slept in our RV in a parking lot for two days hoping our house was still around and animals hunkered down in the barn were okay.

 

[sunsaver]

Forest fires? California, Arizona, East Texas? My cats would go with me, but i try not to get too attached to the poultry. Leaving a horse behind would be a severe tradgety, or a goat? I can't even imagine how difficult that would be. After Katrina, human bodies were found alongside livestock. I have a sick feeling about Irene.

 

[dragonlaurel]

Take a big fat magic marker and write your phone number on any livestock that are big enough for it to show. They do that on horses in these kind of situations, so they can be found easier.

If the animal is dark colored, you could try writing it with a light colored acrylic craft paint. They last through a bunch of laundry washings and some of them are also nontoxic- so it should probably stay on a wet animal well enough for the storm to pass.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Take what you can cram in, and if a neighbor will pile the rest in, that would help.
You mentioned culling hens. Maybe they can stay, and you can cram the others in your vehicle.
And ditto the marker thing.
Stay safe!

 

[lorihadams]

Where are you again???

 

[sufficientforme]

SunSaver we are in Arizona, the fire turned one block length from our house!

Great advice about marking the animals, I forgot and we got our livestock back but no halters, leads, no supplies we left with them, they were lost in the chaos! Mark them.

 

[Henrietta23]

Here the dogs, cats and rabbits would go in my station wagon in carriers. The goats would go in the truck and the poultry would fend for themselves!

 

[Damummis]

I have come to the conclusion that the cat and dog and the 2 ducklings go in the car. The 4 ducks go in one dog crate on the back of DH's truck. The sheep, goats and chickens will be secured in their homes with enough food and water and I am leaving it to the higher powers. That is IF we are evacuated. Wind will be our biggest problem.

Today I am doing all the laundry before the power goes out. Packing some things for an evacuation if necessary, taking pictures of the house and yard, harvesting everything I can, packing the freezer with as much as I can and cranking that baby all the way up to get it good and cold. I have gotten comforters for insulation of the freezer so we don't lose to much. DH just got a second generator from a guy across town. We filled the vehicles and DH did a run thru on all vehicle maintenance. I think tomorrow is prepping all our island clients' houses.

It is going to be a long weekend and a bumpy ride to boot.

I plan on keeping my journal updated for as long as I can. I expect to be without power for some time.

 

[sunsaver]

SunSaver we are in Arizona, the fire turned one block length from our house!

Great advice about marking the animals, I forgot and we got our livestock back but no halters, leads, no supplies we left with them, they were lost in the chaos! Mark them.

My first thought was that massive fire in Arizona. Glad your house got spared. Great idea about the Magic Marker branding of livestock, DL. I'm glad that Damummis is evacuating from that island! So many people have died in this state because they thought they could ride it out. Much of south Louisiana still looks like an H-bomb went off.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Dammummis, where are you? I'm on the Eastern Shore of MD and we could be right in the way of Irene depending on how she goes. They're evacuating the lower part of our county by noon tomorrow. I'm just along for the ride!