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Emergencies & Disasters
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Veterinarians brace for Hurricane Matthew
10/6/2016
Survivor of past flooding opens clinic to pets of evacuees
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Veterinarians offer, accept help during 'Great Flood'
8/25/2016
17 veterinary practices reportedly impacted by Louisiana flood waters
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Alberta wildfire still out of control
5/19/2016
Veterinarians and veterinary staff pitch in to help affected pets
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Storms like Jonas challenge veterinary practices
2/3/2016
Practitioners discuss staffing, transportation during inclement weather
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Veterinarians rally for uprooted colleague
11/12/2015
Somali practitioner-turned-refugee needs better prosthetic leg
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South Carolina veterinarians dig out from epic flood
10/9/2015
Water rose almost to roof of one clinic
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Veterinary community rallies to combat burglaries
9/25/2015
Thieves target flea, tick, heartworm products
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Veterinary clinic recovering from deadly fire
6/19/2015
Rebuilding can take years
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MRI explodes at Oradell Animal Hospital
3/6/2015
Contract worker reportedly critically injured; hospital evacuated
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Fending off a riot
12/5/2014
Around Ferguson, veterinarians prepared for civil unrest
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First canine Ebola quarantine met with good luck
11/17/2014
Texas veterinarians recount 16 days with Bentley
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Dog under Ebola watch gets high-level caretakers
10/20/2014
Pending quarantine protocol for pets unlikely to involve private clinics
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Changes coming to common rodent poison
10/16/2014
Potent anticoagulants to be discontinued
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Tornadoes a reminder to veterinary clinics: Plan for disasters
4/29/2014
Experts suggest ways to prepare
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Human medical emergencies pose conundrum for veterinarians
6/7/2013
Many are unsure of their responsibility and liability
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Animal death toll unknown after Moore twister
5/21/2013
At least four veterinary clinics still operating in devastated area
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Tornado missed veterinary hospital by 70 yards
2/11/2013
Doctor and staff huddled with surgery patient
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Free pet food offer brings deluge of requests
12/26/2012
All 10,000 pounds now spoken for
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Free pet food available by the ton
12/21/2012
Surplus from Hurricane Sandy relief sits in warehouse
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Storm recovery focus of NYC symposium
11/15/2012
Veterinarians, physicians, dentists invited to free event
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Battered, not beaten: Veterinarians brace for new storm in Sandy’s wake
11/7/2012
Ravaged areas of East Coast evacuated ahead of nor'easter
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Veterinarians, clinic staff recount effects of Sandy
10/30/2012
ACVS cancels annual symposium
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Veterinarians recount Pentagon 9/11 search and rescue
9/11/2012
Effort less publicized than Ground Zero’s but equally intense
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Louisiana authorities checking Isaac's effect on livestock
8/29/2012
Mississippi shelter transfers pets to New York
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Colorado wildfire livestock refugees treated for free
6/25/2012
Tales from fire include donkey heroics
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Duluth veterinarian corrals zoo animals during flood
6/22/2012
Polar bear breaks out, seals swim in street
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Ohio Veterinary Medical Association building burns
6/1/2012
Flames destroy more than half of structure
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Company asks veterinarians to stop using its hyperbaric oxygen chambers
2/14/2012
Fatal explosion a 'wakeup call' for safety, training
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Veterinary practice digs out from Alabama twister
1/24/2012
Animals unharmed; massive cleanup ensues
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Veterinary 9/11 first-responders were local
12/1/2011
Shared experience forged lifelong ties
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Preparedness urged for Australian bushfire, cyclone season
10/6/2011
Experts advise reviewing insurance coverage, readying for evacuation
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9/11 brings first responder to ‘emotional brink’
9/9/2011
Memories from Ground Zero haunt veterinarian
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Veterinarians encounter Irene
8/29/2011
Accounts mixed on storm's impact
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North Carolina veterinarians brace for Hurricane Irene
8/26/2011
NCVMA collects names of volunteers
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Colorado State to examine rubble in fire's wake
8/2/2011
Source of blaze that destroyed Equine Reproduction Laboratory unknown
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Zoo stranded by titanic flood
8/2/2011
Displaced animals won't return for a year or two
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Joplin marches forward
7/12/2011
Adopt-a-thon finds homes for 745 displaced pets in two days
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Wildfires: Veterinary volunteers urgently sought in Arizona
6/21/2011
Pharmaceuticals, supplies needed
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Veterinarian tells story of chaos, relief in tornado's aftermath
6/1/2011
Dr. Ben Leavens sets up makeshift ER while family is missing
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Tornadoes strike again; veterinarians shaken
5/25/2011
Oklahoma veterinarian escapes twister by jumping into kennel
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Veterinary relief under way in deadly tornado’s wake
5/23/2011
At least one Joplin, Mo., veterinary practice destroyed
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Recovery continues for wildlife affected by Gulf oil spill
4/22/2011
Rescuers able to release most animals back to sea
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Fearing overseas radiation, Americans seek potassium iodide for pets
3/18/2011
Veterinary experts say medication isn’t warranted
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Normalcy returns to Queensland veterinary school after epic flooding
2/17/2011
Most pets reclaimed by families
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Pet rescues undertaken in flooded Queensland
1/17/2011
Veterinary school becomes ad hoc shelter
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AU veterinary student missing in Thailand
7/30/2009
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Australian vets treat victims of deadly Victorian bushfires
2/18/2009
At least one veterinary clinic reportedly succumbed to blaze
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Colleagues Beset by Disaster Set Bitterness Aside
One forgives employee who set clinic on fire
10/31/2008
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Ike promises depressed economy for Texas region
9/24/2008
17 veterinarians practice in Galveston, TVMA reports
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Ike's aftermath
9/17/2008
Veterinarians endure post storm
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Generators wanted, Texas veterinary officials say
9/17/2008
More than 1,000 DVMs in devastated counties, TVMA reports
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Texas gears up for countdown to Ike
9/10/2008
Animal care agencies prepare for storm's strike
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LSART to assess damages before taking on new volunteers
9/2/2008
Aide workers should wait, officials say; supply donations not needed at press time
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Most pets reclaimed by families
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February 17, 2011
By: Phyllis DeGioia
For The VIN News Service
Some of their owners did not survive, but most of the pets that landed at the University of Queensland’s Veterinary Medical Centre during recent ruinous floods have been joyfully reunited with their families, according to Dr. Bob Doneley, who runs the university’s small-animal hospital.
The animals whose families perished are being cared for in foster homes, as are some whose families aren’t quite ready to take them.
“Some are still with foster care until the owners can get back on their feet,” Doneley said in an interview by e-mail.
At the peak, the hospital housed 35 dogs, 20 cats and 25 birds, some of which had severe injuries. Only one veterinarian, one nurse and approximately 20 volunteers were there to care for them.
The floods, which began on Christmas Eve and continued for weeks, caused 22 confirmed deaths and some $600 million in agriculture production losses alone, according to a status report by Lloyd’s, the insurance market based in England.
Lloyd’s notes that “livestock losses have been small” but that doesn’t mean they were negligible.
“Some horrific stories about stock losses have come out, with many horses killed or euthanised after having been swept away,” Doneley reported. “The dogs and cats are relatively unscathed compared to the horses.”
In individual cases, the flooding was life-altering. Doneley knows of two veterinarians who lost their practices, and another whose house was ruined.
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) Benevolent Fund is assisting those veterinarians and others harmed by the floods. Donations may be made by contacting the association by telephone or e-mail.
“Any assistance would be greatly appreciated,” Doneley said.
Meanwhile, floodwaters have receded and life is returning to some semblance of normality, Doneley said. Road repairs are still a major issue, and occasional long traffic delays occur because entire sections of roads must be resurfaced.
On Feb. 3, not even a month after the flooding, Cyclone Yasi ripped into northern Queensland. The veterinary school was fortunate, being 1000 kilometers (620 miles) from where the category-five cyclone struck.
The loss of life was less severe than in the floods, with one death attributed to the storm. Doneley said he believes that people in northern Queensland are used to cyclones, and heeded the warnings.
“Apparently, the emergency services and media really emphasised the destructiveness of the storm and that convinced people to stay inside and keep their heads down,” he said.
VIN News Service commentaries are opinion pieces presenting insights, personal experiences and/or perspectives on topical issues by members of the veterinary community. To submit a commentary for consideration, email news@vin.com.
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