Veterinary Rescuers Volunteer, Donations Support Wildfire Rescue Effort

Untitled DocumentDAVIS, CA - 9/27/06 - Veterinarians have been assisting with wildfire rescueefforts here since Thursday, Sept. 21.

The Veterinary Emergency Response Team, a volunteer team of faculty veterinarians,technicians and students based at the University of California-Davis VeterinaryMedical Teaching Hospital, has responded daily to a local animal-related disastercaused by wildlfires.

The team aided animals and their owners caught by fires fanned by high winds.Drs. John Madigan, Joan Rowe, veterinary residents,  and students led byMario Dinucci and Allen Page, and several staff members, including administratorBill Herthel, spent the weekend walking through burned fields to offer medicaltreatment and euthanize injured sheep.

"It was rough duty," says Herthel. "Some tough old sheep men hadtear stains on their face from euthanizing sheep."

Carcass disposal poses other health issues. Dr. Madigan is talking to the stateofficials and the Yolo County Board of Supervisors to determine if funding assistanceis available.

The response team is donating medications and services to the herdsmen, usinggrant and donation money. The teaching hospital has also used funds--donatedpreviously by individuals interested in helping animals--to pay for the treatmentof several burned horses.

Dr. Brad Smith, director of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, reportsthat large animal teams from the teaching hospital went out again September 26to new fields and ranches to help community members tend to injured livestock.

For information on how to donate to the Emergency Response Team, please clickhere.