
California Veterinary Emergency Team Ready to Help Animals in Wildfires
UC Davis-Administered Program to Care for Animals Affected by Disasters Statewide
Evacuating, sheltering and caring for animals are enormous tasks made more difficult in a state under siege from wildfires. But the California Veterinary Emergency Team, or CVET, is ready to lead a statewide coordinated effort to provide veterinary care when disasters like wildfires strike.
Administered by the One Health Institute at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, CVET supports and trains a network of government agencies and organizations to aid domestic animals and livestock during emergencies.
This fire season, CVET is ready to assist counties across the state with veterinary rescue and care when local resources have been exhausted and state assistance is needed.
“We are 100 percent ready to deploy and respond should a wildfire or any other disaster require veterinary response or assistance,” said William Burke, associate director of planning for CVET.
A mobile command
Burke said CVET is equipped with 22-foot and 24-foot trailers that will serve as mobile in-field hospitals and exam rooms for injured animals, as well as a horse trailer and several vehicles. A 44-foot trailer is currently being retrofitted to provide additional exam space as well as sleeping quarters for veterinarians should the team be called to a remote location. The goal is to be as self-sufficient as possible, whether responding to wildfires, flooding or other disasters.
“Having ready-to-go resources on hand allows our veterinary team to show up with the resources they need to provide exceptional veterinary care in the field, treating burns, injuries, and other conditions as the need arises,” said veterinarian Ashley Patterson, associate director of operations for CVET.