Victorian Floods Update
18 Oct 2022
The impact of the flooding in Victoria is beginning to be realised and water is continuing to rise in some areas. Unfortunately, more extreme weather is expected from Friday and may be an occurrence for several weeks.
The AVA met with the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) yesterday to understand what is unfolding and pass on the impact on animal welfare and vets. The AVA has begun to phone veterinary hospitals in the affected areas to offer assistance and understand the impact for veterinarians.
Below are resources if you need help or you want to offer assistance.
If you need help
- Next government meeting is on Friday 21st October
Please communicate if you:
- are affected – to allow areas to be mapped
- want to pass on specific information and concerns
- want to ask for assistance:
Contact members@ava.com.au or kristen.steele@ava.com.au
- Help from AVA (1300 137 309 or members@ava.com.au)
If you need help, including financial help and accessing assistance:
- AVA Benevolent Fund: practical support to those who may be affected by illness, financial hardship, accident, or otherwise having a tough time – including impacts from the floods.
- AVA Counselling Service: recognising the personal impact you may be experiencing, we encourage you to utilise the AVA telephone counselling service. This service is available to AVA members, your staff (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 life, the free confidential telephone counselling service is there to help. A qualified counsellor is available to help you and maintains complete confidentiality.
- to also link with organisations who are contacting AVA to offer help.
- Victorian Emergency Hotline (1800 226 226)
This is a central line that will be direct you to the relevant agencies including animal welfare and wildlife and can be used for information, requests for assistance or to report incidents and concerns.
-
VIC Emergency Website (October 2022 Floods)
Please note: make sure you keep records of what has been lost or damaged – not only is this crucial for insurance matters, it also helps us keep track of the scale of losses industry-wide. We would also encourage members to keep track of any services and treatments they have provided pro bono (both time and resources).
a) Prepare and get ready: 000 and Vic Emergency App
b) Incidents and warnings: for emergencies, evacuations, watch and advice
c) Relief and recovery assistance:
- emergency assistance: 000 or VICSES: 132500
- flood Recovery Hotline: 1800 560 760
- relief payments for emergency and re-establishment, disaster recovery allowance (DRA) and Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP)
- list of Emergency Relief Centers
- Other Government support
Financial assistance is available for people and businesses impacted by the floods
Providing support
Below are some ways people can provide assistance and support in response to the floods. If you know of any vet or clinic who has been impacted by the floods, please let the AVA know via the Member Hotline 1300 137 309 or members@ava.com.au
- Volunteer Database
As a key partner of the Victorian Emergency Animal Welfare Plan, the AVA assists with a volunteer database of veterinarians and veterinary nurses to support animal welfare emergencies. Please look out for a survey to determine veterinary capability for the October 2022 floods or contact: members@ava.com.au
- 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 regarding the donation of goods: we understand that many unaffected clinics 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 consume 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 a direct relationships exist between clinics and equipment available for donation or loan, then we encourage clinics to reach out to each other directly.
Resources
Below provides links to information and advice for the treatment of flood affected animals, as well as resources for businesses.
Equine resources
- a webinar recording Veterinary Management of Flood Rescue and Flood Injuries in Horsesby EVA Member Dr Olivia James.
- US reference article Flood Injuries In Horses by Dr Rebecca McConnico from Veterinary Clinics.
- client factsheet on Managing Horses in Floods from longstanding EVA Member Dr John Kohnke.
- client Advice Sheet on Preparing Horses for Severe Wet Weather prepared by longstanding EVA Member Dr Bruce Pott.
- immersion Foot Syndrome in 6 Equids Exposed to Hurricane Floodwaters
Cattle resources
Sheep, Camelid, and Goat resources
- Camelid care after floods – Dr Jane Vaughan
- Goats and floods factsheet – Dr Sandra Baxendell