General FAQs

  • HorseAlert is a safe and streamlined emergency response strategy for horse owners and members of the equine communities in Colorado and California that are impacted by fires and other natural disasters. The app matches people who need help evacuating horses with people with the skills and equipment necessary to help during emergencies.

  • HorseAlert is free. We are funded by generous donors who want to ensure the safety of all horses.

  • No. HorseAlert does not alert users when it is time to evacuate. Please rely on your local city/county emergency resources. And remember, don’t wait until the last minute to evacuate your horse.

  • Yes. If you have other animals, please plan to evacuate them through other methods.

  • No, HorseAlert is brought to you by Colorado Horse Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. CHR collaborated with a robust panel of emergency response agencies including animal control and emergency management professionals in order to provide this tool to the equine community.

  • HorseAlert is 100% funded by the generous donations of its users and supporters. This tool is free for all horses and horse owners in states where HorseAlert is active. Donations to HorseAlert are tax-deductible.

  • HorseAlert is a volunteer-based community application. By using this app, you waive all rights to damages. Please review our Terms and Conditions here for more information.

  • Please reach out to the team at info@horsealert.org for more information.

Driver FAQs

  • You need a truck and trailer in good condition and the skills and willingness to help evacuate horses during natural disasters.

  • HorseAlert will alert you by text that there are active requests for help in your area.

  • HorseAlert is a volunteer-based community application. By using this app, you waive all rights to damages. Please review our Terms and Conditions here for more information.

  • Please follow instructions given by emergency responders. If they have restricted an area, please do not enter and cancel your trip on HorseAlert.

  • No. HorseAlert relies on drivers to ensure their equipment is safe and that they have the appropriate skills to support evacuation efforts.

Horse Owner FAQs

  • If you are a barn manager, boarding facility manager, rescue partner, or another kind of property manager, sign up for HorseAlert as an “Owner.” You will be able to load information for all the horses you manage at your facility, or just your personal horses. Please decide among the owners at your facility whether you would like to be the primary emergency coordinator, or if each individual owner will need to manage evacuating their own horses in case of emergency.

  • HorseAlert was created to provide an organized and safe mode of connecting horse owners with volunteer drivers when faced with natural disasters such as wildfires and floods. If you have been notified by local Emergency Management services that you are in an evacuation zone, please request evacuation through the button at the top of the screen.

  • When paired with a volunteer driver, HorseAlert will automatically select your county’s public evacuation site. If you would like to change your evacuation location to a private residence outside of the evacuation zone, please enter that address when you are requesting help.

  • HorseAlert is a free, community-based tool that supports organized, safe evacuations for horses during a natural disaster. You are responsible for the well-being of your horse during the evacuation of your horse. Please review our Terms and Conditions here for more information.

  • At this time, HorseAlert is only set up to support equine evacuations. This includes horses, donkeys, and mules. Owners will need to coordinate the evacuation of any other animals independently, outside of HorseAlert.

  • No. While HorseAlert was created with the support of law enforcement and first responder agencies, please note that all drivers signed up with HorseAlert are volunteer citizens within your community.n

  • You are not expected to go with your horse. If you would like to ride with the volunteer driver, please coordinate with them. Once your horse is picked up by a HorseAlert volunteer driver and delivered to the evacuation site, you are 100% responsible for their care during their stay. Public evacuation sites typically will provide hay and water, but any other special feed needs to be provided to the horse by their owner or caregiver.

  • No. HorseAlert relies on volunteer drivers to ensure their equipment is safe and that they have the appropriate skills to support evacuation efforts. For more information, please review the Terms and Conditions here.

  • To be best prepared in case of an emergency evacuation, load all your horse(s)’ information into HorseAlert under “Register Horses.” Please update this information periodically as any details change.

  • We also recommend that you keep all of your ownership paperwork (brand inspection, registration papers, etc.) for your horse(s) together in a safe and accessible location and keep these papers with you throughout an evacuation.

  • It is your responsibility as the horse owner to arrange your horse’s return from the evacuation site. At this time, HorseAlert does not offer services for returning horses after the initial evacuation.

  • Please list special instructions or details about your property, such as gate codes, under “Additional Details” when loading your horse(s) information in your profile.