Bushfire Crisis Resources for Veterinarians
Personal support
1. Doctors’ Health Advisory Service (02) 9437 6552
2. AVA Counselling Service 1300 687 327
3. Lifeline 131 114
4. Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
Staff support
Volunteer veterinarians and veterinary nurses (AVERT program) are available to assist practices and veterinarians working in bushfire affected areas
Please contact VBB or (02) 8003 3691 if you need assistance
This website provides a list of local rescue groups to assist with the care of wildlife
3. Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services
The Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline 1800 814 647 is available to assist clients who are fire affected landholders including those requiring:
- emergency fodder
- emergency stock water
- veterinary assistance
- livestock euthanasia and burial
- care of animals in evacuation centres
Technical support
1. Australian Veterinary Association
The AVA has released resources to all veterinarians to assist with treatment of various species affected by the bushfires.
2. University of Sydney
The University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science has created a temporary Bushfire Wildlife Emergency Advice Hotline 0408 937 046 (24 hours) to provide advice for veterinarians and wildlife carers.
The Koala Health Hub has a number of fact sheets to assist veterinarians involved in the treatment of koalas affected by the bushfires.
3. Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services
Assessing bushfire burns in livestock
Managing livestock after a fire
4. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care’s ‘Burn Injury, Burn Shock and Smoke Inhalation’ review articles from Wiley are available as free access for the next 6 months:
a. Part 1: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1476-4431.2012.00727.x
b. Part 2: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1476-4431.2012.00728.x
5. Vet Education has provided access to a burns management webinar by Dr Arthur House, specialist in veterinary surgery:
6. VetAPedia access is also available via: https://www.animalemergencyservice.com.au/vetapedia-access-request/
7. Taronga has created an E-learning module to provide expert knowledge to veterinarians and veterinary nurses to rescue, treat and rehabilitate bushfire affected wildlife: https://learning.elucidat.com/course/5e30abe505ec2-5e3257f67d2c6
Medical supplies
A very generous donation of access to a warehouse of medical supplies has been made available for the treatment of injured animals across the states. Please contact VBB for further information.
2. Australian Veterinary Association
The AVA has also provided live links to donor organisations who are offering support to veterinarians during this crisis. Veterinarians are directed to the latest AVA Member Alert dated 13 January 2020 for more information and to access the links.
Financial assistance
1. The AVA’s Benevolent Fund is collecting donations and funds are directly used to assist veterinarians financially impacted by the fires as well as to veterinarians providing pro bono medical care to injured wildlife and other animals: https://www.ava.com.au/bushfire-disaster-relief/donate/
2. NSW DPI’s Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline can be contacted to provide assistance to those in need with the cost of fodder. As mentioned above, requests for access to fodder can also be made on 1800 814 647.
Sedation of wildlife
Sedation of any animal is a restricted act of veterinary science unless under the immediate and direct supervision of a veterinarian and information about responsibilities when sedating animals and the sedation of wildlife has previously been distributed by the Board.
Veterinarians, persons under the immediate and direct supervision of a veterinarian, and persons accredited by the Board are all able to administer a sedative to an animal (including wildlife).
In addition, any person is able to perform a restricted act of veterinary science if the animal is in urgent need of veterinary treatment and a veterinarian is not available.
Given the current emergency, a person employed by the Crown under the direct supervision of an officer of DPI or LLS performing the procedure in accordance with guidelines published by DPI is also able to administer a sedative to affected animals.
If you are approached to supply sedation for animals in the above circumstances you must:
a) Be able to show you are directly responsible for the care of these animals (see supply of medication below)
b) Have some reasonable assurance that the person is able to safely and effectively administer sedation to the animal and provide appropriate and safe care for the animal during the period of sedation
c) Maintain appropriate records including a log of medication provided which is balanced and signed off by you and the person administering the sedation.
Importantly, please note the responsibilities above apply irrespective of the circumstances.
Supply of medication
As for the supply of sedatives and other restricted substances, the Board would like to respectfully remind veterinarians of their obligations under clause 20 of the Veterinary Practitioners Code of Professional Conduct set out in the Veterinary Practice Regulation 2013 (schedule 2) regarding the supply of restricted substances (S4 or S8):
“(1) A veterinary practitioner may supply restricted substances only:
(a) to a person responsible for the care of an animal that the veterinary practitioner has physically examined or has under his or her direct care, and only in respect of that animal, or
(b) to a person responsible for the care of an animal, with the written authority of another veterinary practitioner who has physically examined the animal concerned or has it under his or her direct care, and only in respect of that animal.”
Under poisons and therapeutic goods legislation veterinarians are authorised to possess and supply restricted substances (S4 and S8 medication) for the treatment of animals. No other health professional is authorised for this purpose and therefore is not legally able to supply medication.
The Board welcomes any enquiries veterinarians may have regarding matters relating to the bushfire crisis on (02) 8338 1177.