VETERINARY EMERGENCY TEAM (VET) The Texas A&M VET serves our state and nation every day through deployments of the largest and most sophisticated veterinary response team in the country. We provide service-oriented educational opportunities for veterinary students through collaborations with Texas agencies and jurisdictions, and build regional preparedness/response capabilities through partnerships with other Texas A&M University System universities and private-sector veterinary medical professionals. We continue to support the Texas Task Forces by providing veterinary medical support to their canine teams during trainings and deployments. We also help Texas communities develop emergency plans for animals.
Overview 2020 was the busiest year yet for the VET, with COVID-19 solely responsible for two deployments and making other deployments more difficult. However, while difficult, the year was exceedingly productive.
2020 Deployments Butte County California Wildfire Deployment • 28 days • 18 members including Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agents • Three shelter locations: two small animal and one large animal • Over 500 total animals The 2020 wildfire season was one of the most active in U.S. history, and the North Complex Wildfire in Butte County, California, covered an area about twice the size of Austin, resulting in an extended duration of animal sheltering and veterinary medical support requirements. Operational needs overwhelmed local and regional response capabilities, with the primary problem being inconsistent animal shelter leadership and inconsistencies in veterinary medical support. VET members assumed leadership roles at three existing emergency animal shelters. A particular challenge of this deployment included containment and elimination of pre-existing disease transmission cycles (Bordetella bronchiseptica infections at two household pet shelters and Parvovirus infections at one household pet shelter).
Butte County, California, deployment
California deployment
Oregon Wildfires (October 2020) • Dr. Debra Zoran deployed to Oregon to provide medical support for 24 urban search and rescue dogs during wildfires. Jefferson County (August 2020) • 21 team members • One of the first times that a county has used an emergency plan to request help in anticipation of a storm. Ultimately, the team was not needed, as impact was less than expected, but the short deployment showed the advances in preparation by Jefferson County. 72 volunteers had already been contacted and were standing by, if needed. Texas Panhandle (May 2020) • Dr. Bissett deployed to serve as the operations section chief for the epidemiology unit working to trace how COVID-19 was circulating in the region. First deployment dealing mostly with human impact. Dr. Bissett oversaw 85 people per shift who dealt with over 5,000 contacts and 1,500 cases.
Dr. Deb Zoran with Scout and his handler Chad Matchel from Washington Task Force 1. 2020 CVMBS Annual Report • 43
