Emergency Planning for Animals In Wisconsin

Darlene M. Konkle, DVM, MS, DACVIMVeterinary Emergency Program ManagerDepartment of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer ProtectionDivision of Animal Health

Authority over pet planningIn WI – local jurisdictions

◦County response plans◦Resources?

State plan ◦Appendix to ESF 11

Federal and NGO resources

Considerations Feed and waterIdentificationReunion with ownersSafety concernsDiseaseSanitationDonation mgt.

Who can help?Medical Reserve Corps

◦Over 1700 veterinarians in MRC◦Dedicated animal/ veterinary MRC

unitsFind the experts in your

community◦Veterinarians◦Veterinary technicians◦Humane shelter operators◦Humane/ animal control officers◦Etc.!

Who can help?

National level resources◦AVMA – VMAT teams

Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams◦HHS –NVRT teams

National Veterinary Response Teams◦NARSC – umbrella org. NGOs

National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition

VMAT: Three Roles

• Early Assessment

• Basic Treatment

• Training

NARSCCoalition of national animal

welfare groups◦AVMA◦ASPCA◦Pet Smart Charities◦Pet Finder.com◦American Red Cross◦American Humane Assn.◦Others

Wisconsin Animal Response CorpsWARC – a WI statewide MRC unitA group of volunteers skilled in

working with animals during emergencies

WARC MissionTo assist the state and local

communities in a disease or disaster event involving animals

WARC ActivitiesEducation and trainingPartnerships with other MRC unitsRelationships with other

organizations◦WVMA◦Dane Co EM

Foreign animal disease recognition and response

Integration into local communities

Wisconsin PlanningState plan in place - frameworkCounty animal response plans

◦ExamplesCurrently not a standard level of

planning for all countiesWork towards regional or county

animal response coordinators

ResourcesAmerican Veterinary Medical

Association◦ https://

www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Reference/disaster/Pages/default.aspx

IA State Center for Food Protection◦Rural all-hazards guide:

http://www.prep4agthreats.org/National Animal Rescue and

Sheltering Coalition◦ narsc.net

Questions?

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection

Division of Animal Health