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Emergencies & Disasters
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AVMA guidelines call for compassion in depopulating animals
4/12/2019
Document offers best practices for culling animals during times of crisis
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'Life goes on'
3/1/2019
Faced with the hardships of disaster, veterinarians endure
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CDC study validates concerns about veterinary suicides
12/27/2018
Higher proportion of deaths by suicide found among U.S. veterinarians
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Hurricane Maria's effects minimal on veterinary drug supply
12/18/2017
But sterile IV bags reportedly on back order
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Veterinarians focus on rebuilding after California firestorms
10/12/2017
Efforts under way to shelter, save animals
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Out of disaster, humanity emerges
9/25/2017
Stories of veterinarians impacted by Hurricane Irma
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Lost and found Harvey pets in new central listing
9/7/2017
Ohio veterinarian single-handedly collects entries
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Waters recede; animal rescues expected to rise
9/1/2017
Veterinarians take stock in storm's aftermath; new ways to help emerge
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Devastating floods swamp Houston-area veterinarians
8/28/2017
Louisiana braces for rain as shelters take in displaced animals
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Burglar to veterinarians: Don’t display lavish stock of flea-tick products
7/13/2017
Prisoner shares his views in letter
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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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Generators wanted, Texas veterinary officials say
9/17/2008
More than 1,000 DVMs in devastated counties, TVMA reports
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Ike's aftermath
9/17/2008
Veterinarians endure post storm
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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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Displaced animals won't return for a year or two
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August 2, 2011
By Phyllis DeGioia
Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot, N.D., stands empty. No visitors enter, no employees arrive for work and no animals live there — a consequence of epic flooding six weeks ago.
The 250 zoo inhabitants were moved to temporary quarters, other zoos and nearby farms with the assumption that they would return soon. Unfortunately, the animals will not return this year. In fact, there is some question whether they will be back to this particular location at all.
 Although the Souris River in North Dakota has receded since the flooding in June, the zoo in Minot will remain closed for up to two years due to flood damage. Photo by Randy Burkhard, used with permission from the Minot Park District.
The zoo’s infrastructure was ruined by flooding in June when the Souris River, which bisects the 21-acre facility, reportedly crested 4 feet above the record level set in 1881. Many zoo buildings were severely damaged, including a brand-new entrance building, the education building and a multi-use building used for a veterinary clinic, quarantine and winter holding. Only some buildings were insured for flooding.
“The hard part is, we don't have any buildings at the zoo that we can work out of,” said Dr. Anne Olson, the zoo’s contract veterinarian.
Zoo Director David Merritt estimates that it may be one to two years before the zoo, which draws some 74,000 visitors a year, can reopen.
“I'd like to think that by this time next year we'd have several animals at the zoo but we don't know when we'll have enough to be open to the public,” Merritt said. “It's really nebulous. One reason we don't know when we can reopen is the extent of damage. The zoo was under 10 feet of water flowing like a river for two weeks. And we have winter coming on. We have a brutal winter up here, and only certain types of construction can happen during winter.”
Merritt raised the possibility, as well, that the zoo might not return to the same flood-prone space. “The river, in normal circumstances, is a great complement to the zoo,” he said. “It’s a wild space in the middle with a lot of waterfowl and little mammals.” But the flooding highlighted the danger of being so close to the water. “Coming out of this, will it be legal to have a zoo in that area?” Merritt asked rhetorically. “Will there be smaller dikes, higher dikes or none?”
The good news is that the zoo inhabitants were safely relocated before the waters raged. “No person or animal was hurt during the zoo evacuations,” Olson said.
Signs that the Souris would flood led the zoo to begin moving animals out weeks before the river rose catastrophically. The enormously complicated plan of where and how to move the animals — including bobcats, lemurs, hoof stock, warthogs, kangaroos, penguins and wolves — was put into motion on May 26 when some animals were transported to other zoos, farms and a temporary shelter.
Expecting to receive evacuation orders imminently, a team began moving animals in earnest starting at 11 a.m. June 1 and continuing until 5 a.m. June 2.
Working through that exhausting period to get the animals to safety were Olson along with the zoo’s veterinary technician Brandi Clark, six staff zookeepers, the zoo director and untold numbers of volunteers. Numerous local and federal government agencies pitched in, including animal control, police and the parks department, plus nearby zoos and farmers.
As it turned out, temporary dikes held back the water for the time being. Official evacuation was postponed, but animals that had already moved largely were left in their new quarters.
The temporary housing is a large county warehouse, now dubbed Zoo North, located about 6 miles from the zoo. Pens for housing came from the state fairgrounds. A bottle-fed lamb became Zoo North’s mascot. He was named Noah because many of the animals moved to safety happened to come in pairs like on the biblical ark.
During the tense three weeks as the Souris continued to fill, a few animals had to be returned to the zoo, including two wolves that became aggressive with each other in the temporary shelter.
But when the long-anticipated official evacuation order came on the afternoon of June 20, every animal remaining in the zoo had to leave. This time, gibbons, reptiles, bongos, birds and otters were moved. The reptiles went to park district property where the proper temperature for them could be maintained. The wolves went to the Dakota Zoo in Bismarck, which, too, was under a flood threat — albeit less dire — from the Missouri River. Things of historical value, along with office supplies, generators and medical equipment, were moved to storage. The zoo’s perimeter fence was removed for dike reinforcement work.
Everyone had to be out by 1 p.m. June 22. On June 23, water poured into the empty zoo. In the region, the flood displaced nearly 11,000 people and ruined 4,000 homes and many businesses. Phone and data lines were unavailable for about a month; service has been sketchy after reinstatement.
Merritt said the zoo expected to have to anesthetize some 22 animals for the relocation, but in the end, only three animals required it.
“We did not lose any animals in direct relationship to the move,” he said. “We have lost some animals since; those were all individuals that were very old and had previously identified health issues like borderline renal failure, and we had predicted to lose them in the not-too-distant future.”
The evacuation was the second in the zoo’s 91-year history. Flooding in 1969 forced the temporary removal of every animal and led to a redesign of the zoo grounds.
Today Olson, the zoo veterinarian, is searching for grants to help rebuild the zoo, including the on-site veterinary clinic. The Minot Park District is also accepting individual donations, which may be made online.
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.
Information and opinions expressed in letters to the editor are those of the author and are independent of the VIN News Service. Letters may be edited for style. We do not verify their content for accuracy.
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