Victorian Emergency Animal Welfare Plan:
6.0 Authority and Governance
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In the event of an emergency, animal welfare may be compromised if management arrangements are not effectively in place. Companion animals, livestock and wildlife impacted by emergencies may need containment, food, water, veterinary treatment or humane destruction and burial. While healthy wildlife should be left in their natural habitat, companion animals and livestock might require temporary shelter or holding facilities.
Before, during and after an emergency, persons in charge of animals retain the ultimate ‘duty of care’ to provide for their needs. In the event of an emergency, a number of government agencies and non-government organisations contribute to improved animal welfare outcomes by providing or facilitating a range of animal welfare support services. This Plan defines “animal welfare support services” as including, but not limited to, the following activities:
- Planning for animals in the event of an emergency,
- Identification of affected animals,
- Management of displaced animals (including evacuated animals),
- Animal welfare assessment, veterinary treatment, humane destruction, salvage slaughter and disposal,
- Provision of emergency pet food, livestock fodder and water,
- Coordination of donations and offers of assistance, and
- Longer term recovery needs.
The section below provides further information on animal welfare services and the role of primary and secondary support agencies and organisations in providing these services.
6.1 Planning for animals in the event of an emergency
Planning prior to an emergency event ensures best practice is achieved. As defined in POCTA, the person in charge of an animal has primary responsibility (duty of care) to ensure it is protected from unnecessary pain or suffering.
For those in charge of animals, including companion animal owners, livestock owners and wildlife shelter operators and foster carers, planning for emergencies is critical. Personal safety plans and household or property plans should include contingencies for animals that will either remain on the property or be evacuated during an emergency (Refer to Appendix 1 for further sources of information).
It is acknowledged that in the event of an emergency, standards of animal care may be compromised. Those in charge of animals may have to evacuate quickly, potentially leaving animals behind, and may be restricted in their ability to care for animals.
For this reason, the underpinning principle in addressing animal welfare in an emergency is for those in charge to take pre-emptive action by planning for animal needs and leaving early so that welfare problems can be avoided or minimised.
For agencies and organisations involved in the provision of animal welfare services, planning should include:
- Developing and reviewing plans and procedures,
- Conducting training and exercises,
- Ensuring contacts are current across government and non government agencies and organisations, and
- Contributing to relevant committees and forums.
DPI and DSE ensure consistency of animal welfare arrangements within the various tiers of emergency management plans, including the EMMV, the State Emergency Relief and Recovery Plan and the State Emergency Relief Handbook.
DPI and DSE assist Local Government to ensure appropriate emergency animal welfare arrangements are described in Municipal Emergency Management Plans.
6.2 Identification of affected animals
Dogs and cats: Victorian law requires that dogs and cats are registered with their local council and are preferably microchipped to ensure they are permanently identified. Registering or micro chipping assists in companion animal identification in situations where they stray or are evacuated as a result of an emergency and require reuniting with their owner.
Livestock: The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) is Australia's system for identifying and tracking beef and dairy cattle, sheep and goats from their property of birth to slaughter. Livestock owners involved in the sale of animals are required to register animals under this scheme, which can be used in an emergency event to assist in the identification of evacuated or stray animals. While it is advised that horses are identified using a microchip, this is not a legal requirement. However, owners are strongly encouraged to have horses microchipped and registered on a licensed animal registry.
Local government (companion animals) and DPI (livestock) can assist in the identification of affected animals that are registered, microchipped or identified through the NLIS.
6.3 Management of displaced animals (including evacuated animals)
- Managing evacuated animals at Emergency Relief Centres
Proactive management of animals in evacuation procedures will improve animal welfare outcomes. If animals are not included in evacuation processes, some people will experience heightened anxiety about the evacuation and may choose to remain with the animals and risk their lives.
As stated in the EMMV, Local Government is responsible for the coordination of the provision and operation of emergency relief centres or shelters. In doing so, it is highly recommended that plans include procedures for animals that may present at these sites.
Non-government animal welfare organisations, including the RSPCA, may have resources to support evacuated animals at relief and other centres.
Victoria’s standards for animal containment and care are provided for in Codes of Practice, which may not be fully achievable or appropriate in emergency situations. DPI can provide advice on requirements for evacuated animals for control and support agencies in emergency situations (Refer to Appendix 1).
- Emergency containment of deplaced animals
Displaced companion animals or livestock may become a hazard and require emergency containment or impoundment. The Impounding of Livestock Act 1994 and the Domestic Animals Act 1994 detail the powers and requirements of land owners or occupiers, and agencies in relation to impounding activities as well as conditions under which animals must be kept to ensure welfare needs are met and future welfare problems avoided (eg. food, water and shelter requirements). Agencies involved in impounding animals may vary depending on the type and location of the animal. However, local government is an appropriate first contact point for reports of displaced animals.
6.4 Animal welfare assessment, veterinary treatment, humane destruction, salvage slaughter and disposal
Every effort should be made to minimise the level of pain and suffering of affected animals with the resources available. Critical to this is the timing of assessment, treatment, humane destruction or salvage slaughter activities.
- Animal Welfare Assessment
DPI (companion animals and livestock) and DSE (wildlife) are responsible for assessing the direct impacts of an emergency on animals. This process entails scoping the incident, its impact and consequences, then defining appropriate objectives, tactics and resource needs to enable an effective response.
If owners or emergency agency personnel become aware of an animal welfare assessment need, contact with DPI will assist a prompt response. On-ground assessment activities will commence once authorisation to enter impacted areas has been given by the control agency.
DPI managed assessment teams comprised of officers authorised under POCTA will primarily be used to undertake on-ground assessment of companion animals and livestock. Similarly authorised RSPCA officers may assist, particularly with the assessment of companion animals. Animals will be assessed based on the need for treatment, immediate humane destruction or salvage slaughter.
For wildlife impacted by an emergency, scoping of animal welfare objectives, tactics and required resources will be undertaken by an officer located within the local Incident Management Team (IMT), in accordance with the relevant plan or protocol. On-ground assessment and rescue activities can commence once authorisation to enter impacted areas has been given by the Incident Controller. Animal welfare needs are determined, under the direction of DSE, by wildlife rescue teams (frequently including volunteers), who will determine whether affected wildlife require any intervention or treatment.
- Treatment
When veterinary treatment of animals is required, animal owners and carers will normally be advised by assessment teams to seek veterinary advice from a private veterinarian. In large scale emergencies, when private veterinarians may be operating beyond capacity, additional triage sites may be established to treat (or euthanase if necessary) animals impacted by the emergency.
The need for additional support (voluntary veterinarians, vet nurses or veterinarian supplies) for local practices will be facilitated by the AVA. The AVA can also facilitate resources for additional triage sites where established. The need for additional triage sites may be identified by local government, DPI, DSE or local veterinary practitioners. The RSPCA is also able to establish or support treatment activities at triage sites.
When triage sites have been established animal welfare assessment teams managed by DPI will make owners and carers aware of these sites.
DSE-managed Wildlife Rescue Teams will arrange for the rescue and transport of injured wildlife to local vet clinics, authorised wildlife rehabilitators, or established triage sites for treatment, depending on the scale of the emergency.
- Humane destruction or salvage slaughter
It is the responsibility of the person in charge of animals to arrange for the humane destruction or salvage slaughter of emergency affected animals where the animals will continue to suffer if they remain alive, or where the animals have little or no chance of survival. DPI will assist in the humane destruction or salvage slaughter of animals when the person in charge cannot (or will not) perform the necessary actions to alleviate the suffering of their animals. POCTA authorised, trained and equipped officers (eg. from the RSPCA or local government ) may also assist.
Wherever possible, destruction activities will take place in consultation with the person in charge of affected animals. In situations where owners cannot be found, indemnity for immediate destruction in their absence is provided by Section 21(ii) of POCTA.
The various wildlife emergency plans and protocols detail the procedures for euthanasing wildlife. Under the Bushfire Protocols, which can be applied in other emergency events, the triage veterinarian is responsible for assessing the need for euthanasia. While it is prohibited to destroy native wildlife under the Wildlife Act, registered veterinary practitioners and appropriately accredited officers and volunteers who destroy wildlife in accordance with POCTA are exempt.
Methods of destruction of animals must be consistent with the relevant Code of Practice, such as the Codes of Accepted Farming Practice for the Welfare of Animals (species specific in the case of livestock), Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, and Code of Practice for the Welfare of Wildlife During Rehabilitation (Refer to Appendix 1).
- Disposal
The timing of animal carcass disposal is critical since any delay not only poses a risk to human health and the environment, but also the morale of emergency personnel and the affected community. It is critical that approved methods of carcass disposal are utilised and procedures are followed to minimise inherent risks of disposal, including biosecurity, environmental contamination or the spread of disease.
A number of on-farm and off-farm options exist for the disposal of animal carcasses resulting from an emergency, including licensed landfills, knackeries and rendering facilities, and high temperature incineration. Disposal on private land and government owned sites such as unlicensed or decommissioned landfill sites may be allowed subject to section 30A (Environment Protection Act) approval from the EPA and will require the development of a site management plan.
The EMMV lists municipal councils as responsible for the coordination of clean up activities in an emergency, including disposal of dead animals (livestock and wildlife).
The EMMV also lists DPI as the provider of advice regarding the disposal of dead or maimed animals, including location, type and number of animals to be disposed. The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is listed in the EMMV to ensure that appropriate disposal methods are adopted for wastes resulting from response activities.
In the event of an emergency, DPI will liaise with local government regarding the carcass disposal needs of livestock and companion animals and with the assistance of the EPA, can assist Local Government to identify suitable sites for disposal.
For wildlife, where a response is based on the Bushfire Protocols, it is the responsibility of the triage veterinarian (when in place) to work with Local Government to oversee the disposal of carcasses of euthanased wildlife. Arrangements for other wildlife emergencies are detailed under the relevant plans and protocols.
6.5 Provision of emergency pet food, livestock fodder and water
In emergency situations, allocation of feed and water will likely be based on meeting the basic needs to ensure survival. It is the responsibility of the person in charge of animals to plan for and provide feed and water for impacted animals.
Animals require access to clean drinking water. Emergencies may impact on water quality or supply leading to the need to supply alternative water sources. In large scale emergencies, pet food and fodder may be donated, leading to the establishment of distribution points.
DPI will work with owners to assess emergency fodder and water needs of animals on properties it assesses, and direct animal owners to fodder depots, distribution centres and water points established by either the managing local government or water authority.
Longer term fodder and water supplies are the responsibility of the person in charge of animals. In situations where the minimum needs of animals are unlikely to be met, consideration will need to be given to sale, agistment, slaughter or humane destruction.
The person in charge of animals will be encouraged to make their own arrangements in relation to the collection of pet food, fodder and water. Where this is not possible, DPI will report any transport assistance needs to fodder depots or Municipal Emergency Coordination Centres where assistance may be arranged.
6.6 Coordination of donations and offers of assistance
- Material animal aid including fodder and pet food
Donations of material animal aid in addition to pet food, fodder and veterinary supplies may also be made in large scale emergencies. DPI and the RSPCA will refer offers and donations of fodder, pet food and other material aid to established distribution points. Referrals will be informed by needs identified through assessment activities and requests for assistance. AVA will direct offers of veterinary supplies to local practices or triage sites. Local government may also manage donations it receives.
- Volunteers
Volunteer groups with an interest in livestock and companion animal welfare can pre-register their services with DPI’s Bureau of Animal Welfare. Wildlife volunteers are generally organised via the existing network of wildlife foster carers and shelter operators that are known to DSE. Volunteer veterinarians and veterinary nurses can register interest through the AVA. Local government also has a role in providing and/or coordinating volunteer helpers (EMMV).
DPI, DSE and Local Government may proactively contact volunteer groups based on advice from an Incident Controller, or requests for assistance.
Delivery of animal services by volunteers may include support of triage sites, management of animals at emergency relief centres, and the distribution of fodder to areas declared safe to enter. Volunteers will not be used for livestock and companion animal welfare assessment activities due to safety and authorisation requirements under POCTA.
For wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, use of volunteers and the type of activities they can undertake will vary depending on the emergency. As such, reference should be made to specific emergency plans and protocols (Refer to Table 1).
Volunteers are required to work within established emergency management structures to ensure personal safety, prevent duplication and ensure the efficient and effective use of resources. For these reasons, volunteers will be required to abide by established volunteer management processes which may include pre-requisite training and accreditation needs, registration, communication and reporting procedures, personal protective equipment needs and other safety measures.
6.7 Long term recovery needs
Information collected by DPI and DSE on animal impacts during the course of an emergency will inform government rehabilitation or recovery projects following significant emergency events.
In the case of livestock, consideration should be given to fencing (for safe ongoing containment), feed planning and pasture management, water supplies including dam management, and animal health considerations, which will vary depending on the incident type (eg. flystrike, foot rot).
In the case of wildlife, rehabilitation plans for high significance flora and fauna may be developed.
