Vet emergency team supports working dogs amidst Hurricane Helene

A group of veterinary professionals.
VET members and DAR agents deployed to North Carolina on Oct. 2 in response to Hurricane Helene. Photos courtesy Jason Nitsch ’14, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

On Oct. 2, the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) was sent out by the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) in response to Hurricane Helene.

Helene impacted Southern states along the East Coast, with the highest loss of life in North Carolina, where VET members will provide crucial support to search and rescue dogs.

“Working dogs play a critical role in the aftermath of disasters of this scale,” says Deb Zoran, DVM, DACVIM, VET director, in a release. “Our job is to make sure these highly trained dogs are in healthy, working condition—even as they search in areas with hazardous debris, rough terrain and flood waters.”

The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences has supported the Texas A&M Task Force 1 Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) team since its founding in 1997, with Dr. Zoran among the first veterinarians caring for the team’s working dogs.

““No matter where a disaster strikes, there are always people and animals in need,” Zoran says. “It’s an honor to be part of the response efforts to help communities in need across the United States.”

The VET will use decontamination techniques to protect both the dogs and handlers in disaster zones, as flood waters and landslide can be “exceptionally dangerous,” Zorab says.

Along with 12 VET members, the team is joined by Disaster Assessment and Recovery (DAR) agents from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

A vet professional wearing TAMU-VET shirt.
The VET utilized decontamination methods to help working dogs and their handlers keep safe amidst rescue efforts to those impacted by Hurricane Helene.

This marks the VET’s second East Coast deployment and first in North Carolina in response to a hurricane.

For more information, visit the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences website.

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