A hotline is now open to farmers, landowners, and communities in Northern NSW needing emergency assistance for stranded, injured or perished livestock and domestic animals.
The emergency hotline – 1800 814 647 – has been activated for people to request help for livestock and other animals.
There are also 22 evacuation centres open in Northern NSW for injured or at-risk pets and domestic animals.
Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders said while the focus currently is human evacuation and safety in the most severely affected areas, there is significant work being undertaken to ensure support is given to farmers to rescue stock and other animals.
“The NSW Government is providing assistance to primary producers for animal assessment, emergency veterinary assistance and emergency fodder where access allows, coordinated through the DPI State Coordination Centre and the Agricultural and Animal Services Functional Area,” Mr Saunders said.
“Members of the community should also call the emergency hotline number if they come across stranded, lost, injured or dead livestock so that we can arrange to attend to these animals.“
Calls to Service NSW on 13 77 88 seeking support for an animal will also be referred to the DPI State Coordination Centre.
As the extent of damages to the primary industries sector becomes apparent in the coming days and weeks, farmers and landholders are encouraged to report it online through the DPI natural disaster damage survey.
