As of September 23, 2019

As Tropical Storm Imelda response efforts transition to recovery efforts, those affected are faced with a variety of challenges – down fences, stray livestock, animal disposal, etc. Please find animal/livestock recovery messaging below.

• If cattle or livestock have strayed onto your property, call the sheriff’s department in the county you are located within.
• If you observe down fences along roadways, contact your local sheriff’s department.
• When it is safe to return home, survey damage to your barns and fences. Return animals only after the threat has passed and the safety of buildings or the area has been assessed.
• Animal Disposal: resources can be found at https://www.tahc.texas.gov/emergency/index.html.
• Examine your animals closely; contact your veterinarian if you observe injuries or signs of illness.
• If you have any pet or livestock needs contact your local Emergency Management Department – http://www.tdms.org/county.aspx.

#TexasAnimalHealth   #TexasAnimalAgriculture   #TropicalStormImelda

As of September 20, 2019

STATEWIDE CURRENT SITUATION: As a result of continued flooding from Tropical Depression Imelda, Governor Abbott declared a State of Disaster for Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Orange, and San Jacinto counties on Thursday, September 19th. The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) emergency management, regional, and administrative personnel across the state are continuing to monitor weather and field conditions across the State. All field personnel are responding to local requests in their assigned jurisdictions.

Please find livestock and animal messages below:

Animal Evacuation

• Heed all warnings from local officials – and if told to evacuate, evacuate.
• Take your animals with you when you evacuate.
• AVOID leaving livestock behind. If there is no other alternative, keep gates or buildings open so they can escape high water. Provide access to safe free-choice food and water.
• If you have no alternative but to leave your pet at home, there are some precautions you must take, but remember that leaving your pet at home alone can place your animal in great danger! NEVER leave your pet chained outside or confined. Place a notice outside in a visible area, advising what pets are in the house and where they are located. Provide a phone number where you or a contact can be reached as well as the name and number of your vet.

Animal Care

• If you notice any signs of distress, fatigue, lesions, etc. please reach out to your local veterinarian.

Lost or Found Livestock

• If cattle have strayed onto your property, call the sheriff’s office in the county you are located within. Note: In order to be eligible for reasonable payment for maintenance of or damages caused by the estray livestock, you must report them to the sheriff’s office within five days of discovery. For more information regarding Texas’ estray laws visit: Texas Agriculture Code, Chapter 142.
• If you find cattle or other livestock with official identification, document the number, location of the animal(s), and call the TAHC at 512-719-0733 or 806-354-9335 and TAHC will contact the owner. If you find stray cattle that have a brand, call Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) at 817-332-7064 for brand identification.

Animal Disposal

• As the Tropical Storm Imelda response efforts transition to recovery efforts, Texans may face the challenge of animal disposal. Please use the following resources to guide you during this recovery phase.
• Animal Carcasses in Public Areas (including residential): Animal carcasses found in public areas or rights-of-way should be reported to the local county Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to be handled through the jurisdiction’s debris management plan. You can find your county’s EOC information at http://www.tdms.org/county.aspx or on your county’s website.
• Carcasses on private property, non-residential areas: Animal owners and operators are responsible for the proper disposal of their animals. To learn about common methods of non-diseased animal carcass disposal visit Disaster-Related Carcass Disposal Guide. or visit the Texas Commission Environmental Quality’s website at www.tceq.texas.gov.
• If you find a stray animal carcass on your property, contact your local EOC. You can find your county’s EOC information at  http://www.tdms.org/county.aspx.

Volunteers

• The State of Texas is asking volunteers to not self-deploy, as unexpectedly showing up to any of the communities that have been impacted by Tropical Storm Imelda will create an additional burden for first responders.

Resources

• Flooding Maps:https://txpub.usgs.gov/txwaterdashboard/
• Road Conditions:https://drivetexas.org
• USDA Disaster Assistance Programs:https://www.farmers.gov/recover orhttps://www.disasterassistance.gov
• Hay Hotline:https://www.texasagriculture.gov/Home/ProductionAgriculture/HayHotline

Everything can be found on our website –https://www.tahc.texas.gov/emergency/index.html and we will continue to update our social media pages: twitter & facebook.