Resources to help you evacuate quickly during disasters, including local volunteer groups providing shelter and services for pets and barn animals
The tragic loss of life and property in January’s California wildfires has weighed heavy on our hearts. Could it happen here? Wildfire is the biggest threat in Yavapai County.
If you had to evacuate, where would you take your animals? Yavapai County is proactive in disaster preparedness with volunteer groups providing necessary resources for your animal family. Animal Disaster Services (ADS) will shelter your household pets and Large Animal Shelters & Emergency Readiness (LASER) provides a safe haven for your barn animals, all at no cost to you.
LASER is a 501(c)3 group of volunteers working in partnership with the Yavapai County Office of Emergency Management. Two dedicated large animal shelters stand ready in Prescott Valley, near AZ Downs, and at the Chino Valley Equestrian Park, off Perkinsville Road. When LASER is activated by the County, the shelter location will be broadcast through various news sources, on the LASER website, and on social media. Trained and dedicated volunteers will care for your animals 24/7 until the evacuation is lifted, giving you 24 hours to pick them up.
But it’s not just about the animals. It’s also about the people who love them. With a plan in place, you can evacuate quickly.
Prepare now and be ready to evacuate should the time come.
- Sign up for your local emergency notification system. YCSO uses alertYavapai. Register at YCSOaz.gov.
- Know your zone. Evacuation zones use pre-determined areas for the delivery of vital information. Go to protect.Genasys.com.
- Create defensible space around your home. Check out the Yavapai Firewise website: https://yavapaifirewise.org.
- Create a list of items to collect as you evacuate. Consider people and pets, prescriptions, personal items, papers, and priceless items.
- Prepare a GO kit for humans and animals and keep it updated. See: https://www.yavapaiready.gov/Resilience/Prepare/Get-Ready/Make-a-Kit; for household pets go to AnimalDisasterServices.com; for your barn animals click on www.laser-shelter.org.
- Have a neighborhood evacuation plan. If you are out of town when disaster strikes, can your neighbors get your animals out? And, teach your animals to load quickly, even under stressful situations.
- Find various ways out of your neighborhood. If the route you usually take is blocked, how will you get out?
- Stay informed: follow only reputable and reliable sources of information. Social media can be full of misinformation and AI-generated images.
You can help your community by getting involved as a volunteer with the Red Cross, Animal Disaster Services, or LASER. Please consider giving a charitable, tax-deductible donation to these organizations.