UCD/CalOES/CDFA MOU Signed

The formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was agreed to and signed over this winter break. This MOU outlines the working relationship between the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), and the University of California, Davis (UCD) in regard to CVET oversight. The MOU also outlines the expectations of CVET as a statewide disaster resource. Building from Senate Bill 547, CVET is tasked in providing services of promoting emergency preparedness, training veterinary professionals, researching best practices of veterinary disaster medicine, and maintaining a ready veterinary response team.

In a disaster, Cal OES will be receiving requests for veterinary assistance from local authorities and Cal OES will look to CDFA as the Emergency Support Function 11 lead to validate those requests and find support resources. CDFA will now be able to utilize CVET, when appropriate, to provide a veterinary response team and help meet those local requests for assistance.  

While this MOU is only a guideline to a working relationship, the agreement was essential to CVET’s ability to accept mission tasks and provide veterinary assistance throughout the state. The CVET program is incredibly excited to work closely with Cal OES and CDFA and is grateful for all those who contributed to the joint MOU effort.