Last year’s flooding led to an estimated sixty thousand animals being rescued by the NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES), DPI and Local Land Services.
The crisis highlighted the importance of effective emergency response and management for animals during extreme weather events.
This Friday, animal rescue experts from across Australia and New Zealand will gather in Sydney to share their skills and tell extraordinary stories of animal rescues at the Animal Emergency Incident Management Network conference on the 5th and 6th of May.
Large animal rescue, especially during floods, can be dangerous not only for rescuers dealing with powerful, frightened animals, but also for the animals themselves.
“Animals are an integral part of our business at the NSW SES. A third of all rescues performed by the NSW SES in 2020 involved animals,” said David King, Vice-Chair of Animal Emergency Incident Management Network, and Deputy Commander of the Hawkesbury Unit with the NSW SES.
“We need to make sure rescue and veterinary professionals know how to protect the wellbeing of animals, safely.”
At the conference, animal rescue experts will be demonstrating how to safely rescue large animals such as horses, cattle and even camels, including a demonstration of how to lift a horse onto a rescue boat in flood water.
The two-day event is a must-attend for all professionals involved in animal emergency response and management.
“This conference is an opportunity for animal emergency management professionals to come together, learn from one another, and gain valuable insights into the latest trends and best practices in the field, with a specific focus on addressing the challenges faced during the recent floods in Australia,” said David King.
The conference is expected to attract a large number of attendees, including animal emergency response professionals, veterinarians, animal welfare organisations, government agencies, and other related industries.
“The NSW SES is proud to be leading best-practice in animal rescue and sharing the expertise and knowledge gained rescuing during several years of extraordinary flooding,” said NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York.
NSW SES has trained more than 600 serving volunteers in large animal rescue since 2011.
