Large Animal Rescue in Australia Updates since the 2013 International Large Animal Rescue

Conference, Roseworthy, South AustraliaPresented at the Large Animal Emergency Rescue Workshop, Agnes Banks Equine

Clinic, Hawkesbury NSW

Photo: Denzil O Brian

Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au30 May, 2015

Updates• Emergency Services• Research• Large Animal Rescue Roadshow• Horse SA• Horse Welfare Officer [Events

& Activities]

The LAR working environment:

The Australian Horse Industry Council recently completed a survey with over 3000

respondents. Alarmingly 38% had received injuries from horses severe enough to require

hospitalisation.http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/ahic/

Emergency ServicesCoordinate occasional online meetings with key LAR reps from each state to discuss aspects and progress

Agri-Food Skills Council scoping requirements to develop Units of Competency.

Training workshops continued to be delivered with Equine Veterinarians Australia, NSW Fire & Rescue. SA SES to pilot course July 2015.

In contact with Hampshire Fire & Rescue re future use of Moodle for online training

LAR awareness workshop with SA Veterinary Emergency Management (SAVEM)

Update provided at the National Emergency Services Training Officers Conference, Tasmania, 2014

The current issue of the Australian Journal of Emergency Management is dedicated to animals and emergency response/disasters.

Example articles:

Thompson, K., Leighton, M., & Riley, C. (2015). Helping hands, hurting hooves: The need for a multidisciplinary paradigm of large animal rescue. Australian Journal of Emergency Management(special issue on animals and disasters).

Research

Australian Journal of Emergency Management Vol 30 Issue 2 2015

https://ajem.infoservices.com.au/items/AJEM-30-02

Research

Managing Animals in Disasters project (MAiD): Improving preparedness, response, and resilience through individual and organisational collaboration.

• Smith, B., Thompson, K., & Taylor, M. (2015). What’s the big deal? Responder experiences of large animal rescue in Australia. PLOS Currents: Disasters, 1(January 22).

• Media: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2015/03/13/concerns-around-large-animal-rescue-identified-in-australian-study/#axzz3bQaPljGa

• Managing Animals in Disasters: http://www.bnhcrc.com.au/resources/presentation-slideshow/1060

'Should I stay or should I go? Increasing natural disaster preparedness and survival through animal attachment‘ Australian Research Council 2013 DECRA project. Dr Kirrilly Thompson, Central Queensland University.

• https://www.facebook.com/SavingAnimalAndHumanLives/timeline• http://www.humananimalscience.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Animals-a

nd-Disasters-Project-Summary-THOMPSON.pdf

Photo: Kirrilly Thompson

Large Animal RescueMaryAnne Leighton - update May 2015

http://www.equineer.com

In the 16 months since the 5th International Large Animal Rescue Conference in November 2013, MaryAnne Leighton has: • conducted 13 one-day Queensland Horse Council LAR information workshops (4 in Queensland, 9 in

Victoria)• given LAR demonstrations at two equine expos• given one-hour LAR presentations to clubs and groups in QLD, VIC and WA• published the 3rd edition of Equine Emergency Rescue - a guide to Large Animal Rescue (3280+ copies

sold since November 2010)• for her work in Large Animal Rescue education, MaryAnne was nominated for the 2014 Queensland

Rural Regional and Remote Women’s Network Strong Women Leadership Award In coming months MaryAnne is: • scheduled to give Queensland Horse Council workshops in Queensland, Victoria, Australian Capital

Territory and Western Australia (100 participants in WA already registered)• booked for LAR presentations in New Zealand, Queensland and Victoria

Since she became the Asia Pacific distributor for Resquip Ltd. (rescue training equipment): • two more horse mannequins (WA and Queensland)• Australia's first cow mannequin (Queensland) - third in the world!• rescue glides purchased by Rural Fire Brigades and Country Fire Authorities, SES units,

racecourses, horse rescue and equestrian organisations, vet clinics and others • first sale of rescue training equipment to China Elsewhere in Queensland: • Queensland Fire and Emergency Services is now the agency responsible for rescuing large

animals but the new State Government is not interested; LAR training for emergency services is in limbo

• Following extensive publicity received by Greenbank Rural Fire Brigade when they successfully rescued an elderly horse from a gully, Greenbank RFB has been called to rescue one horse or cow per month over the past 16 months

• Greenbank RFB received a significant grant from the Queensland Government's Gambling Community Benefit Fund that enabled them to purchase both horse and cow rescue training mannequins, a Down-a-cow harness, purpose-built rescue equipment trailer and other equipment

Large Animal RescueMaryAnne Leighton - update May 2015

http://www.equineer.com

Horse SAwww.horsesa.asn.au

2013 International Large Animal Rescue Conference

Conducted > 20 general LAR info sessions, mostly with SES and local residents in same presentation

Conducted > 10 Horse Welfare Officer [Events & Activities] workshops

Continue to build equipment kit with the University of Adelaide Equine Health & Performance Centre (EHPC) and partner with delivery of workshops

(the EHPC delivers own training workshops to veterinary students)

University of Adelaide Equine Health & Performance Centre & “Riley the Rescue Horse”

LAR training + vet school use

Horse Welfare Officer[Events & Activities]

Horse welfare + people safety

Introduce large animal rescue techniques through event incident management & horse welfare officer role

Shift towards evidence based animal welfare plans for events & activities

http://www.horsewelfareofficer.org/

Horse Welfarewhole-of-life approach

(It’s about people too!)

Husbandry & promoting natural behaviours of horses

After racing/sport/activityEducationAdministration: Rules, policies, record keeping

Emergency planning

Incident managementAwareness

Facility design

Veterinary HealthPhoto: University of Adelaide

Research and sharing info = new knowledge & potential implement changes in practice Photo: Mariette van den Berg

How does your activity view it’s responsibilities?

Building LAR into Events & Activities

Small gatherings of horses, organised trail rides. Appointed first aid officer.• Limited capability to manage a horse + rider

incident

Incident response plan Vet on call Basic LAR kit Call in assistance

Larger gatherings of horses e.g. one day eventsParamedics on site. Emergency services briefed in case of call out• Ability to manage horse + rider incidents not

requiring heavy lifts or other technical skills

Incident response plan Vet in attendance LAR kit (s) + horse

ambulance Trained & practiced basic

LAR response team

Larger events, or smaller high risk gatherings. Well equipped paramedics trained to work with LAR team. Fully equipped LAR trailer & heavy lift equipment. • Ability to manage most horse + rider

incidents

Incident response plan Vets + equine hospital on

site Dedicated advanced

trained LAR team

+ Development of an App with Flinders University which will serve to keep records for incidents for insurance/risk/welfare & memory joggers for LAR techniques.

Horse SAOngoing development of resources & training 

  

Thank you

Celebrating 20 yrs. of Large Animal Rescue Dr. Rebecca Gimenez (USA) Livestock Transport Incidents Jim Green (UK) Current Issues- Livestock Transport Dr. Rebecca Gimenez (USA) The Rescue Scene- a veterinarian’s viewpoint Dr. Christine Smith Animals in Disasters Dr. Ian Dacre (WSPA Bangkok) Safer Animal Rescues Jim Green (UK) Large Animal Rescue Hawkesbury NSW SES (Hatch/King) Considerations for the Emergency Transport of Large Animal Patients Prof Josh Slater Horse Float Safety Survey Dr. Belinda Noble Victorian Bushfires (Horses) Dr. Chris Heislers (VIC) Veterinary Emergency Response Teams Hayley Squance (NZ) Introduction of LAR techniques to thoroughbred racing Dr. Peter Horridge Should I stay or should I go? Dr. Kirrilly Thompson Scope of LAR in North India Dr. Arvind Sharma Large Animal Rescue in Australia (QLD) MaryAnne Leighton Equine Emergency Rescue Raylene Gardner (TAS)

Appendix 1: Links to 2013 International Large Animal Rescue Conference Presentations

www.horsesa.asn.au