Natural Disasters: The Role of the Veterinarian

Abstract

AbstractNatural disasters create a multiplicity of problems and hazards ranging from outbreaks of infectious disease to animal control problems. By virtue of their unique training and clinical skills, there is considerable potential for veterinarians to fulfill major roles in disaster intervention. The potential role of the veterinarian features a number of important tasks before, during, and after a natural disaster. Some of the tasks include: 1) resolution of problems common to many natural disasters; 2) control of disease vectors; 3) control of disease transmission; 4) herd management; 5) animal health care; 6) search and rescue; 7) animal control; 8) maintenance of medical supplies; 9) information dissemination; 10) disaster assessment; and 11) pre-disaster planning.