Emergency Response Unit from AKC CAR Donation Mobilized after Hurricane Gustav
School of Veterinary Medicine
Office of Public Relations
LSU's Mobile Emergency Response Unit Provides Veterinary Care for Hard-Hit Areas
BATON ROUGE - The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine's emergency response unit was mobilized following Hurricane Gustav to provide veterinary care to areas affected by the storm. The Louisiana State Animal Response Team called to request the unit to help with injured and sick animals in Houma, La. The local veterinary clinics in that area were not operational, but local veterinarians rotated the hours of operation. LSU faculty covered rotations as well.
Ironically, the mobile unit's first emergency duty took place in the parking lot at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. After the SVM was forced to rely on generator power, which provided basic necessities but no air conditioning, the hospital's surgery suite could not be used because of the build-up of condensation on the floors. Surgeries were performed in the air-conditioned surgery area in the mobile unit.
In June 2006, the American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery (AKC CAR) established the American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery Emergency Response Unit Fund. In response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine (LSU SVM) partnered with the AKC CAR to develop a mobile response unit that can be used to respond to any natural disaster in which small animals are left injured or abandoned. The AKC CAR provided partial funding for the purchase and equipping of the mobile unit. The LSU SVM is providing a vehicle to pull the unit, staffing for the unit, and necessary supplies.
This unit will be used for emergency response and will serve as an active component of an integrated system for responding to natural disasters. This unit will also significantly enhance the ability of the LSU SVM to provide immediate care to injured, dehydrated, or otherwise debilitated animals.
During the interim, when the mobile unit is not being used for disasters, it is used as part of the Southeast Louisiana Spay/Neuter/Animal and Community Wellness student elective to provide spay and neuter services to animal shelters participating in the program that do not have surgical facilities.
Media Contact:
Ginger Guttner
Public Relations Coordinator
LSU School of Veterinary Medicine
225-578-9922
gguttner@vetmed.lsu.edu
