Photo by Sherry Sheldon taken during '07 Witch Creek Fire in Poway, CA.
PoloZONE received the following information for publication about the California Animal Response Emergency System (CARES) and a letter regarding needed donations for training equipment. I wanted to share this info. with the polo community since many polo players are involved in this effort.
Dr. Madigan, DVM, DACVIM is a polo player from the Sacramento area who has been instrumental in the organization, implementation and training for the CARES program. He heads the UC Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team and Equine Helicopter Rescue Team. Dr. Matigan helped develop the Anderson Sling and the Large Animal Lift. His experience with horse and animal rescue is extensive and we are lucky to have him involved in the CARES program.
In addition to Dr. Madigan’s rescue experience, many members of the polo community in San Diego, Poway and Lakeside have been through two major fires and helped evacuate and care for hundreds of horses. Their input and feedback to the CARES program has been very well received.
San Diego is one of two jurisdictions that have been chosen for the state wide planning. There will be a California Emergency Management Agency Meeting in San Diego in March and they will include some key contacts from the local horse industry. Some members of the polo community will be participating in that meeting.
GRANT TO HELP RESCUERS COORDINATE HELP FOR ANIMALS DURING DISASTERS
The International Animal Welfare Training Institute at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine has received $250,000 from the California Emergency Management Agency to assist the state in providing coordinated rescue and care of animals during natural disasters.
The agency grant will formalize a framework for emergency response and protocols at county and regional levels.
ANIMALS AND DISASTERS
Horse and owner identification can be tricky during a natural disaster. During the fires in San Diego horses had their owners telephone numbers spray painted on their sides.
In January 1997, rescue personnel accomplished one of California’s largest evacuation efforts, removing residents from flooded areas in the northern part of the state. Unfortunately, many animals were left behind. Volunteers tried to rescue horses or livestock but law enforcement officials turned them back due to health and safety concerns.
After two hundred dairy cows were lost in rising waters because personnel and trailers that could have saved the animals were sent away from the flooding, veterinarian John Madigan, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, spearheaded an animal rescue effort. Over more than a week, accompanied by personnel from the California Department of Fish and Game, Madigan and other volunteers rescued horses and other animals in need of food, water, shelter and medical care.
In the aftermath of the flooding, the state has tried to incorporate animal rescue into emergency response planning. Efforts to develop a system, the California Animal Response Emergency System (CARES), have stalled over the past 13 years even as the school’s Veterinary Emergency Response Team continued to provide veterinary care services during several occasions when fire or flood threatened animal lives.
Bennie Osburn, dean of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, notes that animals in disasters present a welfare issue and a concern for public health and safety. “Integrating animals into rescue efforts will protect the animals and help safeguard their owners, who may risk their lives unnecessarily if they think that their animals won’t be saved,” he says.
A TEMPLATE FOR ACTION
In 2008 Madigan, who directs the International Animal Welfare Training Institute, identified a Contra Costa County emergency response program that can provide the ideal template to put CARES into action. The new agency grant supports planning that began in January, with the institute’s co-director, Tracey Stevens-Martin, coordinating the effort.
“This funding,” Madigan says, “takes us to the next step toward a statewide disaster response program that will minimize the suffering and loss of life of pets, horses and livestock.”
Participating organizations:
California Veterinary Medical Association
California Emergency Management Agency
California Dept of Food and Agriculture
USDA
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Contacts:
John Madigan, director, International Animal Welfare Training Institute, Veterinary Emergency Response TeamTracey Stevens-Martin, International Animal Welfare Training Institute, CARES
A UC-produced guide to disaster preparedness contains helpful tips for animal owners.
http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vetext/INF-DI_DANRGuide.html
(See pages 81-87)
DONATIONS NEEDED
911 Protocol
As for the 911 Protocol, work is in progress. Curriculum for courses was sent to the State for approval; your recommendation of a One-Day course was received well. In the meantime, training has begun. The VERT (Veterinary Emergency Response Team) at UC Davis had it’s first of the year training session which we will then present to Fire, Police, Animal Control, Highway Patrol, etc.
The students learned to tie knots used for safety, dragging, etc. how to strap Lucky (plastic training horse) and lift via the tripod, how to use the Anderson Sling and use of strap and sling on livestock.
Dr. Madigan and 2 VERT students are coming down to San Diego to train the UC Davis-San Diego Extension so that San Diego will have trained VERT teams.
They need things like:
24 helmets for training
24 pr. Leather gloves
24 pr. Goggles
24 Head lamps
24 Safety Vests- @ 20.00
Lucky- plastic training horse $10,000
The students are willing to do an exchange- in exchange for cash they would do a demo/training with anyone or with any program that donates. It would be great to get as many horse people, organizations, polo clubs, tack shops, etc. involved. Please spread the word about what is happening in California.
If you would like to donate equipment or funds for training supplies and staff, please contact Tracey at the CARES program.
Tracey Stevens-Martin, International Animal Welfare Training Institute, CARES
e-mail: tstevensmartin@ucdavis.edu