Summary: Natural phenomena may trigger disasters or have man-made causes, but one common factor in disasters of any kind is that they all involve animals. That reason alone necessitates veterinary involvement in disasters, but there are many other compelling reasons why veterinarians should be involved in mitigating these events. First, veterinarians possess unique training and broad experience in multi-species animal health and welfare, veterinary public health, epidemiology, biosecurity, food safety, and systems thinking. This knowledge is explicitly needed in the planning for and response to disasters. Second, veterinarians’ high-profile traditional roles in rescue and emergency treatment of animals are widely recognized. Through decades of disasters, veterinarians have come to be included in the first-responder group of medical professionals, along with physicians, nurses, paramedics, and others. Veterinarians work side-by-side with medical and allied health professionals in humanitarian efforts that help to protect and maintain the human-animal bond. Third, there are lesser-known activities veterinarians perform that make them highly beneficial to the health maintenance of people and animals in crises, including: 1) animal evacuation, 2) disaster assessment and disease surveillance, 3) food and water safety, 4) zoonotic disease, 5) animal disease control, 6) decontamination, 7) euthanasia and depopulation. Appreciative of these contributions, the American Veterinary Medical Association strongly recommends veterinary involvement in emergency management for planning and response operations regarding disasters. The relatively new One Health approach recognizes the interconnectedness of animal, human, and environmental health. It promotes collaboration among public and private entities, physicians, veterinarians, public health professionals, social scientists, and other science, health, and environmentally related disciplines. This team approach must be implemented during disasters to minimize negative impacts. As major contributors to health, veterinarians face challenges, obligations, and opportunities during natural and man-made disasters to support the health resiliency of animals, people, and the ecosystem.
Christa A. Gallagher (Sun,) studied this question.