California Veterinary Emergency Team - CVET

02/05/2025

Hayyyyy! Did you know CVET has developed various species-specific guidance documents with the support of local practitioners and the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital to assist in the training and education of animal responders? For access to our Vital Signs Guides, Feeding Guides for large and small animals, and Animal Handling Resources, visit our website: cvet.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/response-resources/species-guide

01/29/2025

The 2025 Cal CARTs Summit is coming up in March! We look forward to hosting our CART (Community Animal Response Team) colleagues and state partners at UC Davis. At the Summit, we will hear presentations from responders for the Los Angeles fires and Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Additionally, we will discuss other animal disaster-related topics ranging from coordination with local animal services agencies and emergency management, to prepping animals for reunification.

Space is limited. Volunteer CART responders must check in with their CART leadership regarding attendance.

01/23/2025

CVET remains ready to provide veterinary assistance as needed via coordination or clinical care, and continues to be in regular and ongoing communication with local agencies, animal response organizations, and the California Office of Emergency Services.

If you'd like to donate in support of response efforts, visit the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Donation Portal: donations.caloes.ca.gov

01/17/2025

California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) Guidance for Wildlife & Fire Events is now available. View OnlineDownload PDF

01/15/2025

Need help with animals impacted by the ? These hotlines are available to assist with lost and found animals as well as animals left behind in evacuation areas.

01/11/2025

Update: CVET staff are in daily contact with Pasadena Humane Society, all major animal welfare orgs (as part of California Animal Welfare Association and NARSC), and the city and County of LA. Each have indicated that additional veterinary support from outside the region is not needed at this time.

As we are all aware, that may change drastically in the next few days - especially as animal search and rescue starts in full, more chronic effects of smoke and fire appear in affected animals, and people begin to return to their communities.

Through previous outreach and preparedness efforts, CVET has built relationships with key representatives in the LA area. This preparedness effort has allowed the local representatives to have a direct point of contact to express any needs and to work through this event together. CVET is in direct contact with veterinarians and vet staff on scene and are providing support as they need it.

The on-scene personnel also now have a complete understanding of the resources that California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps (CAVMRC) and CVET can bring when needed and a clearer understanding of the process to bring them in. We stand at the ready to assist when needed and requested.

01/11/2025

We have developed numerous resources for veterinary care professionals to utilize during disaster response. Additionally, our veterinarians collaborated with Vetstream to develop a guide for pet owners so they can protect their pets from wildfires and smoke inhalation: www.flipsnack.com/vetstream/wildfires-and-smoke-inhalation.html

01/10/2025

CVET has moved to “on alert” status and is at the ready to provide veterinary assistance via coordination or clinical care. We are meeting daily with the organizations actively involved at each of the region’s 16 animal shelters, offering veterinary assistance and advice where needed.

Updated 1:55 p.m. Jan. 10: The California Veterinary Emergency Team, or CVET, has moved to “on alert” status and is at the ready to provide veterinary assistance as needed via coordination or clinical care, but so far has not been activated to Southern California because regional programs there ...

01/10/2025

So well said, Dr Sonder! Thank you for sharing this important message!

01/09/2025

Due to the ongoing Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County, the following shelters are available for animals affected by the evacuation orders. Please note capacity details and staffing information:

Large Animals

📍Lancaster Animal Care Center 5210 W Ave I, Lancaster, CA 93536
📍Pierce College 6201 Winnetka Ave, Woodland Hills, CA 91367 AT CAPACITY with 200 horses; staffed by DACC – FULL
📍Hansen Dam Horse Park 11127 Orcas Ave, Hansen Dam, CA 91342. LA City Sheltering Site; AT CAPACITY not staffed by DACC
📍Industry Hills Expo 16200 Temple Ave, City of Industry, CA 91744. Capacity for 200 horses; not staffed by DACC
📍Pomona Fairplex 1101 W Mckinley Ave, Pomona, CA 91768. Receiving horses only. They have 50 and capacity for 100 more

Small Animals

📍Agoura Animal Care Center 29525 Agoura Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301
📍Baldwin Park Animal Care Center 4275 Elton St, Baldwin Park, CA 91706
📍Carson Animal Care Center 216 W Victoria St, Gardena, CA 90248
📍Downey Animal Care Center 11258 Garfield Ave, Downey, CA 90242
📍Lancaster Animal Care Center 5210 W Ave I, Lancaster, CA 93536
📍Palmdale Animal Care Center 38550 Sierra Hwy, Palmdale, CA 93550
📍El Camino High School 5440 Valley Circle Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91367 *American Red Cross Sheltering Site with mobile animal shelter for small animals only

Visit animalcare.lacounty.gov for more information on sheltering animals during LA County fires.

01/08/2025

See below for shelters available for animals impacted by Palisades Fire:

An evacuation order means there’s an immediate threat to your life and you need to leave right now! It’s critical to follow all directions from public safety officials to ensure you and your family including your pets evacuate safely. An evacuation warning allows additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now. People and Animal Shelters are available.

01/08/2025

New Year, New Animal Care & Feeding Guide from CVET! Our management team collaborated with avian, small mammal, and exotics experts to develop this resource to aid the care of various animals during disasters.

Response personnel provide care to a wide array of species affected by disasters in both shelter and field settings. When doing so, it is important for these responders to understand the different nuances between species as care and feeding guidelines often differ. In severe scenarios, an animal can develop medical complications by something as simple as providing the wrong type of feed. This guidance will hopefully help to educate responders and avoid some of those potential complications.

Available online: cvet.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/response-resources/species-guide

12/20/2024

Last week, CVET’s large animal clinician Dr. Briana Hamamoto supported the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in a thrilling rescue of a horse named Matsi stuck under an empty rice silo. In a multi-agency team effort, the horse was pulled to safety and examined by Dr. Hamamoto and UC Davis Equine Field Service veterinarian Dr. Claudia Ferreira.

12/17/2024

We have a newly updated Vital Signs Guide for a range of species!

CVET has developed various species-specific guidance documents with the support of local practitioners and the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital to assist in the training and education of animal responders. County animal services and animal response organizations are encouraged to review these documents and incorporate any helpful information into their standard training practices.

cvet.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/response-resources/species-guide

12/09/2024

Happy ! 🩺

Today, we’re honoring the amazing veterinary professionals with the California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET) for their critical role in helping animals during natural disasters. These dedicated experts provide lifesaving care to pets and livestock when they need it most.

Whether it’s setting up mobile veterinary clinics or delivering on-the-ground medical care, veterinary professionals with CVET are always at the ready to respond to animals impacted by disasters across California.

Thank you to all veterinary professionals for your compassion and resilience—California’s animals and communities are safer because of you!

11/20/2024

Did you know we have free animal care resources available for download on our website? CVET's veterinary experts have just released an updated version of our Large Animal Care & Feeding Guidelines. Check it out at cvetucdavis.org

09/27/2024

Happy Friday everybody! Here's a recap of our work helping the animals impacted by Park Fire - and even if you're already in weekend mode, check out the story at least for the photos of some of our favorite patients from the response 🥰

As the Park Fire grew to become the fourth-largest wildfire in California's recorded history, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET) quickly mobilized for their inaugural deployment to provide crucial veterinary care for animals caught in the fire....

09/23/2024

We are so grateful to American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) for their financial support of CVET's partners for their efforts on the Park Fire response, helping us to ensure essential veterinary medical care for animals and assistance for the impacted veterinary community.

You can support AVMF's mission here: www.avmf.org/give
AVMF funds we receive will be re-directed to the organizations who assisted us during the Park Fire response.

Through AVMF, your generous gifts help support the medical care of injured or abandoned animals, disaster relief efforts, education, scholarships for technicians and veterinary students, and research to help prevent, diagnose, and treat animal diseases.