Owners and producers are responsible for having a livestock evacuation plan for their animals, in the event of an emergency.
The SLRD Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) may be able to help commercial livestock producers during an evacuation with activities such as loading, trucking, and sheltering, but producers are expected to plan in advance for the logistics of moving stock and safeguarding the welfare of animals during a major emergency.
If you are NOT a commercial livestock producer, you also need to have a plan for all the types of animals on your property.
Consider how you would transport them off the property and to where you would relocate them, their feed requirements, medical needs and the potential costs associated with relocation.
If you have a hobby farm or your livestock are not your primary source of income, you do not qualify for any livestock relocation assistance under Ministry of Agriculture rules. You are responsible for all costs.
If you are a commercial livestock producer who has applied and been approved for Livestock Relocation Assistance, then costs to the approved limit for approved services will be covered.
You are responsible for costs over this limit, and for goods and services not listed on the approval documents.
You should consider livestock relocation when there is a threat to animal welfare. This may mean moving livestock to another part of the property, to a mutually agreed nearby property or a safe location outside the area.
Livestock Relocation Assistance can only be applied for during emergencies where the SLRD EOC has been activated and an evacuation alert or order is in place.
The British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture Application for Livestock Relocation Assistance Form 514 provides the details needed to assess the request for assistance. The form is submitted to the SLRD Emergency Operations Centre, or to the Ministry of Agriculture if their EOC has been activated.
All required forms are available for download at /services/emergency-management/response-recovery/commercial-livestock-relocation-expenses.
Sample forms can be found in the Commercial Livestock Relocation Guide.