Twisters tear up Tenn. clinic; HSUS deploys pet rescue teams

Cleveland-As a record 395 tornadoes wrecked countless homes and lives across the country in mid-spring, Dr. David Carlton of Jackson, Tenn., is relieved his clinic lost no animals amid the ruinous storms.

He's keeping a positive spin, despite the fact his clinic

didn't fare so well after tornadoes sliced open his facility.

"We lost the whole roof and water's just pouring down into the clinic,"says Carlton of Carlton Animal Clinic. "Our building was the one mostprofoundly affected in our immediate vicinity."

The high volume of storms ripped through 19 states in the Great Plainsand South in the first 10 days of May, breaking a record set in 1999, when188 tornadoes struck the nation in the same timeframe.

As one of many victims of the twisters, Carlton says his clinic sustained"pretty extensive" damage - drenched walls, a missing roof, water-loggedcomputers. He anticipates thousands of dollars in damages, but managed tofind a silver lining - his file system was spared.

"We're not totally paperless so all our files are still intact,"he says.

Disaster strikes

Carlton was home the night the tornado struck, but chose to venture outto check on his clinic. "I came out Sunday night and couldn't see wellenough to know that the roof was off on the far side of the building. Ijust drove into the parking lot, it looked pretty good and because the weatherwas inclement, I went right back home. I came in early Monday morning andfound the mess."

The devastation has clearly interrupted Carlton's business. "We'renot doing any business right now," he says. His "temporary workplace"is a makeshift auxiliary room. He is only conducting exams, administeringvaccines and taking bloodwork. But he says he's just grateful that humanand animal lives were spared and that the community has responded in kind.

"I've had four or five clients come in and hug me and tell me they'resorry it happened and to let them know when we were up and running,"says Carlton. Even several veterinary colleagues have visited the clinic,offering to assist if necessary, he adds.

While Carlton cleans upfrom the storms' aftermath, rescue workers sprinkledthroughout Missouri, Oklahoma and numerous other states are working overtimeto ensure animal safety.

HSUS on scene

Ann Culver, director of disaster services for the Humane Society of theUnited States (HSUS), says the agency is monitoring storm activity in manystates. It set up a centrally located emergency response team in PierceCity, Mo. Another team is on standby for Oklahoma City, at the request ofthe Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association.

As of May 9, the team had found, treated and sheltered more than 100companion animals and a large quantity of livestock.

All the companion animals except five dogs have been reunited with owners,Culver says.

AVMA involvement

Dr. Cindy Lovern, assistant director of scientific activities for AVMA'sEmergency Preparedness and Response department, said at presstime the associationhad yet to deploy any veterinary medical assistance teams (VMAT). Sponsoredby AVMA and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, VMATS are a teamof veterinary professionals that can respond to local veterinary communities'needs amid disasters.

"Reports are that local communities are handling the situation,"she says. "But if veterinarians are overwhelmed, we hope that statescall them in. It's a state choice."