Resources for the Horse Community

Evacuations

Emergency preparedness is important for all of us, but it takes extra consideration for horses and livestock because of their size and the requirements for transport. Some emergencies may necessitate evacuation, so it is imperative that you are prepared to move quickly. It is a good idea to have a contingency plan in place before an emergency occurs to ensure the safety of your animals. Do you have a safe place to take them, or an agreement with another facility or friend with property who can temporarily house and care for your animals? Boulder County Animal Control, under the direction of the Boulder County Sheriff, services and protects all unincorporated areas of Boulder County. They utilize the Boulder County Fairgrounds to house animals in disaster situations, but room and resources can be limited.

Boulder Office of Emergency Management

Horse/Livestock Operation Find (H.O.O.F.) Form

BCHA and Brandy Perkins, Animal Control Officer with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), have worked together to make available to you the Horse/Livestock Operation Find (HOOF) Form. BCSO is the central dispatch for emergency evacuation, and lost and found large animals. Filling out and submitting the H.O.O.F form allows BCSO to maintain a central livestock database, and will enable them to quickly contact you during an emergency.

Download the H.O.O.F form
Animal Rescue Request Form Boulder County

Poisonous Plant Identification and Pasture Management by County

Being able to identify toxic plants in your pasture before your horses ingest them is a preventative action that will benefit you, your livestock, and your neighbors in the long run. To educate yourself in the realm of plant identification and proactive strategies for pasture management there are several contacts based on county that can assist you. Take the steps to protect your horses at home and when riding in unfamiliar areas. 

Contact information:

  • Boulder County: Sharon Bokan, CSU Extension Small Acreage Coordinator, 303-678-6176
  • Larimer County: Karen Crumbaker, 970-498-6003
  • Weld County: Amy Lentz, 970-400-2073, alentz@co.weld.co.us
  • Adams County: Jennifer Tucker, 303-637-8157
  • Kat Caswell (regional small acreage contact to cover counties in the Front Range who don’t have an assigned agent in their county): 970-541-9834

Please also refer to: A Guide to Plant Poisoning of Animals in North America by Tony Knight and Richard Walter.

Wildfire Preparedness For Horse Owners

Sharon Bokan, CSU Extension Small Acreage Coordinator, has shared this helpful information so you can be more prepared for an emergency. 
E-mail Sharon or call 303-678-6176

Download: Wildfire Preparedness For Horse Owners

Emergencies in Boulder County: 303-441-4444

Boulder County Animal Control Dispatch: 303-441-4444
Boulder Office of Emergency Management: 303-441-3390
City of Boulder Dispatch: 303-441-3333
Boulder County Fairgrounds Office, Joe LaFollette, Manager: 303-678-6234
Boulder County Search & Rescue, Jana Ward
Colorado Department of Agriculture: 303-294-0895
Colorado Department of Agriculture/Brand Inspection Division: 303-869-9160
Colorado Horse Rescue: 720-494-1414
Adams County Animal Control Dispatch: 303-288-1535
Broomfield City & County Animal Control 303-438-6400
Jefferson County Animal Control Dispatch: 303-277-0211
Larimer County Animal Control 970-226-3647 x126
Weld County Animal Control Dispatch: 970-350-9600

Barn Emergency Information & Barn Information Sheet [PDF]

Equine Disease Communications System (EDCC)

The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) is an industry-driven initiative which works to protect horses and the horse industry from the threat of infectious diseases in North America. The communication system is designed to seek and report real time information about disease outbreaks similar to how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerts the human population about diseases in people. This website provides information on:

  • Outbreaks and alerts by state
  • Information on how to report an outbreak
  • Disease information
  • Reportable diseases
  • Information on what horse owners should do during the first 30 minutes of a suspected infectious disease outbreak
  • Biosecurity and more
Find Out More >

Local Emergency & Disaster Information Sources by County

This website provides you with a  list of County-level emergency management websites, telephone numbers (office and 24-hour), e-mails and sms/txt alert systems in the state of Colorado.

Boulder Alerts:

Emergency Management Contact: Mike Chard
Office: 303-441-3390  / 24 Hr Phone: 303-441-4444
Find Out More >

County Sheriff Information

This website provides you with a County Sheriff contact information in the state of Colorado.

Find Out More >