The establishment of an animal disaster relief plan will serve as a blueprint which can be used and modified in the event of a hurricane. This would allow the relief effort to proceed smoothly so that the greatest part of volunteers' energy could be used constructively to provide emergency and supportive care to animal victims of a hurricane.
Veterinary medicine and animal care resources in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery are important to public health and welfare. This includes small and large animal care, use of facilities, and displaced pet and livestock assistance.
The destruction of buildings, fences, and other enclosures may lead to the release of animals that subsequently roam about unrestricted, endangering the health and safety of humans. The unrestricted roaming of domestic animals leads to increased interaction with wildlife, as well as with the human population. Such interaction enhances the probability that these animals will become vectors of disease transmission and potential reservoirs of pathogenic agents otherwise confined to the wildlife population. As a result, the probability of human exposure to zoonotic diseases is enhanced.
Animal bites are a major concern because of the risks of rabies transmission, as well as pain, anxiety, disfigurement, and wound infections by organisms. Since stray animals present a significant threat to humans, they should be caught and confined by designated authorities in order to minimize risk of injury to humans and to minimize the probability of zoonotic disease transmission. Injured animals found to be in pain or suffering may need to be euthanized.
Veterinarians, humane society personnel, and animal control staffs residing in a county are the first line of response to local animal emergencies. If an emergency incapacitates local response capability, veterinary, humane society, and animal control resources from adjacent counties may be requested through the Emergency Management Association (EMA) Coordinator.
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Florida Veterinary Medical Association, state and county animal control organizations, and humane organizations all represent veterinarians, veterinary technicians and allied qualified personnel with animal experience. A coordinator for this vast network can maintain liaison with the emergency management agencies, public health agencies, animal control agencies, and humane organizations. An animal disaster relief committee with representatives from each networking group can coordinate veterinary involvement, veterinary technician service, and animal care personnel with the state management agency.
The role of veterinarians in the private sector is to be prepared to play a major role in disaster situations by making their expertise, supplies, equipment, and premises available as both human and animal medical aid posts. Veterinary hospitals which feature current drugs, surgical instruments, respirators, x-ray capability and sterilization equipment are adequately equipped to address life- threatening emergencies involving the human population.
Private veterinary practitioners are in an ideal position to play a role in the surveillance of any abnormalities, deaths, or illnesses found in animal populations. In this way, animal populations can serve as sentinels during a disaster situation.
When these emergency situations arise, veterinarians unfamiliar with equine practice may be requested to assist with their capture and emergency treatment. Teams of trained personnel can provide the most assistance, especially if they can stay for 7-10 days or more. They can be assigned to provide whatever relief is needed most.
Someone within each veterinary school should be assigned liaison duties with the relief effort. Large, small, and exotic veterinary help may be needed. Veterinary schools need to recognize that in many cases, specialists are usually not needed, but technicians and senior students are. Unless the calls are for more veterinarians, the major manpower need is for technicians.