Keeping tamed animals out of harms way during combat

[Grindstone]

Hey all, fairly new player. I love the tamed animals, especially those that help haul stuff around. Certainly beats those lazy colonists! One problem is when there's a raid incoming and I draft all my colonists, the trained animals congregate around the handler and often get hurt (or killed) by the enemy if not shot by my own turrets and even the colonists. I don't really want llamas on the front line... I tried restricting their areas but they still move with the trainer when he leaves the designated animal area. So far I have been keeping him hiding behind a building cuddling with all the labs and llamas. Is there any way to keep trained animals from jumping into combat that I am unaware of? Thanks!

[Spectre]

When an animal becomes obedient they gain a 'master'. When that pawn gets drafted the animal goes with them and often gets shot. Simply click on the animal and go to the training tab and select the master to none. They will still be trained but won't get drafted when the handler does.

[Grindstone]

When an animal becomes obedient they gain a 'master'. When that pawn gets drafted the animal goes with them and often gets shot. Simply click on the animal and go to the training tab and select the master to none. They will still be trained but won't get drafted when the handler does.

That makes perfect sense. Thanks!

[night32]

Another way that works is having them in a room and forbidding the door. But it only works if you like to keep them in a room instead of letting them roam freely. Best way is to set their master to none or not drafting their master(s).

[zandadoum]

when there is a raid, i change all my animals to a safe zone i created.

this mod helps a lot doing this with less clicks:

https://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=15964.0

also: instead of setting no master to your animals, it helps setting it to a cook or someone who never leaves your base. so you can draft him and all animals will INMEDIATELY rush to him, out of harm.

[Magus_Nex]

I have been avoiding this issue by not actually having the alpaca's and or my puppys been trained in obedience or release.

I train the boars or the boomalopes or the cobras as my meat shields/bullet magnets.

as far as i can see the alpaca's function fine without additional training, they still consume large amounts of food, produce exceptional wool and breed.

[Grindstone]

Thanks for the suggestions, all. I've found what works best for me is to set master to none and clear their restricted area from the combat zone.

Only problem I'm having now is my handlers keep stealing chicken eggs to feed the labs for training! I can't get any chicks to hatch without just disabling handling.

[Dave-In-Texas]

Thanks for the suggestions, all. I've found what works best for me is to set master to none and clear their restricted area from the combat zone.

Only problem I'm having now is my handlers keep stealing chicken eggs to feed the labs for training! I can't get any chicks to hatch without just disabling handling.

I did two things;  set two regions, 1 everywhere but the freezer (normal mode) and one that restricts animals to some deep rooms with food access. 

that way during normal times i have complete control over what the animals eat and when there is fighting all of the noncombat pets are safely far away (and i currently use none for combat).

i also forbid what i dont want my handlers to use, eggs could be cooked with too so its doubly handy.