NSW flooding 2022 September and onwards

05 Dec 2022

Sadly, since September significant and sustained flooding has again hit NSW with further flooding predicted over coming months as the flood waters move south/west and with possible isolated storms.

The following provides the veterinary profession information about response activities, support available, how to provide support, and links to resources for treating flood impacted animals.

 
Response Activities
AVA Liaison Officer

The AVA is working the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Agriculture and Animals Services Functional Area (AASFA) to assist in veterinary support to flood impacted animals and has appointed an AVA Liaison Officer to AASFA.

Veterinarians are encouraged to contact the AVA Liaison Officer if you have any concerns, comments or are seeking support regarding the flood response/recovery activities. Please contact Liz Gemes, AVA Senior Advocacy Officer at 02 9431 5050, 0481 373 330 or liz.gemes@ava.com.au.

 

Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline

Animal owners are encouraged to call the Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline 1800 814 647 to register assistance requests for emergency support including:

  • Veterinary assistance
  • Livestock assessment
  • Emergency fodder
  • Aerial assistance for isolated livestock
  • Euthanasia and burial
AASFA engaging veterinarians for treating flood impacted animals

Currently AASFA are engaging private veterinarians as required. AASFA will issued a Task Request and the process regarding reimbursement on a case-by-case basis to facilitate emergency animal assessment and treatment for conditions that are a direct result of the flood event after a Request for Assistance is received through the AASFA 1800 number. Please click here for further information regarding veterinarians’ participation in agriculture and animal emergencies.

 

Supports Available from AVA and Government
AVA Veterinary Benevolent Fund

The AVA Veterinary Benevolent Fund exists to help any veterinary professional, AVA member or not, going through financial hardship or a difficult time, including impacts from the recent floods. No circumstance is insignificant, and no request is too small. Your situation matters to us and we want you to reach out. Contact AVA Member Services (even if you are not a member) for a confidential, understanding discussion around your circumstances. We’ll then put you in touch with one of the Veterinary Benevolent Fund Trustees.

 
AVA Counselling Service

Recognising the personal impact you may be experiencing, we encourage you to utilise the 24/7 AVA Telephone Counselling Service. This service is available to AVA members, the vet professionals that work for you (who may not be members) and your family members. It is available all day every day on 1300 687 327.

If you’re having trouble dealing with something in either your personal or work lives, the free confidential telephone counselling service is there to help. A qualified counsellor is available to help you and maintains complete confidentiality.

 
AVA THRIVE

The AVA THRIVE is a veterinary wellness initiative that aims to support veterinarians and veterinary staff to lead satisfying, prosperous and health careers.

THRIVE provides a suite of support programs and resources that offer some facts about some of the threats to the health and wellbeing of veterinarians, such as stress, addictions, grief and loss, depression, anxiety, and suicide.

There’s also simple advice about how to take steps to stay healthy, maintain a good work-life balance, and deal positively with conflict.

 
Government Support

Financial assistance is available for eligible people and businesses impacted by the NSW September 2022 onwards flooding events. These include:

  • Disaster Recovery Payment for a lump sum payment to help people adversely affected by the floods in New South Wales. The rate is $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child.
  • Disaster Recovery Allowance provides income support payments to employees, primary producers and sole traders who can demonstrate they have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the floods in New South Wales. DRA provides fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks up to the applicable rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on the person's circumstances.
  • Disaster Recovery Small Business Grant of up to $50,000 is to help pay for the costs of clean-up and reinstatement of a small business.
  • Rural Assistance Authority provides special disaster grants for primary producers and rural landholder grants.
 
Providing Support

If you or you know of any vet or clinic who has been impacted by the floods in 2022 please let the AVA know through the Member Hotline - members@ava.com.au or 1300 137 309.

 
Financial Donations

The AVA Veterinary Benevolent Fund helps veterinary professionals and their families affected by disasters, illness, financial hardship, accident or otherwise having a tough time. To help and support veterinarians, financial donations can be made to the Veterinary Benevolent Fund.

Note for donating goods: We understand that many clinics that are not affected by the disaster are keen to reach out to assist in practical ways by offering to donate items, since many of our colleagues would have lost supplies as a result of the floods. Past experience with goods in kind donations indicates that a significant portion of donated materials are disposed of and unused. Logistics and transportation also consumes a large amount of overheads. We appreciate the good intentions of donors and encourage financial contributions which ultimately allow more flexibility for designation where the need is most severe. Where direct relationships exist between clinics and equipment is available for donation or loan, then we encourage clinics to reach out to each other directly.

 
Resources
Flood Impacted Animals

During and following a flood event livestock are at risks of a range of disease conditions including but not limited to yersiniosis (flood mud scours), mastitis, plant toxicities, and vector transmitted diseases. Below provides links to information and advice for the treatment of flood affected animals:
Equine resources:

Cattle resources:

Sheep, Camelid, and Goat resources:

AVA Webinar: Disaster Management 101

 
Veterinary Practices

NSW Business Disaster Recovery and Preparedness:

 
Mosquito Warning

Due to the flooding, mosquito populations have significantly increased. Veterinarians need to be vigilant in protecting themselves from mosquito bites to reduce their risk of mosquito-borne viruses such as Japanese encephalitis virus or Ross River virus. NSW Health provides information about mosquito control during floods.

NSW Health has issued a mosquito warning to Western NSW and recommending people who live or work in in 41 Local Government Areas, including; Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Coonamble, Dubbo Regional, Forbes, Gilgandra, Lachlan, Narromine, Parkes, Walgett, Warren, Warrumbungle and Weddin shires, with identified Japanese encephalitis risk.

 
AVA seeking information to inform disaster funding advocacy

To assist the AVA advocacy on national Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements veterinarians are requested to gather and share with the AVA information in the following areas:

  • What has been lost or damaged as it helps us keep track of the scale of losses industry wide.
  • Any services and treatments to flood impacted animals that has been provided pro bono or at reduced cost (both in time and resources).

Please send this information to Liz Gemes, AVA Senior Advocacy Officer at liz.gemes@ava.com.au.