California Veterinary Emergency Team - CVET

09/06/2025

Earlier this week, our Associate Director of Planning Will Burke joined first responders from across the region at the Continuing Challenge Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Workshop in Sacramento. From hands-on training to live demos, the event offered valuable opportunities to share about the CVET program and strengthen skills for responding to hazardous materials incidents.

08/27/2025

When wildfires force evacuations, horses face more than just the threat of flames. They endure stress, transport, and poor air quality that can seriously affect their health. That is why CVET is leading research to understand these impacts by collecting and monitoring blood samples from evacuated horses.

This research builds on past findings that 1 in 5 horses in wildfire evacuation shelters required veterinary care, and underscores the vital role of veterinary presence in disaster response.

If you are a county representative interested in partnering with us on this study, email us at [email protected]!

08/10/2025

We’re monitoring the Gifford Fire and stand ready if our services are requested.

For latest incident updates and info: www.emergencyslo.org/en/incident-information.aspx

07/15/2025

serves as a crucial reminder to include your animals in your emergency planning.

In California, wildfires and other disasters can escalate quickly. Having a plan and the right supplies on hand can make all the difference for you and your animals.

CVET encourages all pet owners to prepare a “go bag” with essential items your pet may need if you need to evacuate quickly.

We’ve put together a simple emergency go bag checklist for your dogs and cats, as well as a list for horses (in collaboration with Northern California Association of Equine Practitioners) to help you get started.

Start assembling your kit today!

07/09/2025

A belated thank you to everyone who visited our booth and attended our talks at California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA)'s PacVet conference in Long Beach, CA! We are especially excited that 50 new veterinary professionals signed up to join our responder network.

Want to get involved with CVET?
Learn more here: cvet.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/join

06/23/2025

At the 2025 PacVET Conference, CVET’s Kim Carlson and Briana Hamamoto will join a panel discussion following the screening of The Dog, a powerful short film by IndeVets that sheds light on mental health in veterinary medicine.

Representing the emergency response side of the field, Kim and Briana will share their perspectives on grief, resilience, and wellness drawn from years of work in disaster response. We're proud to see their voices included in this important conversation.

indevets.com/the-dog

06/19/2025

CVET is heading to Long Beach at the end of this month for the 2025 PacVet Conference from June 27-29. We will be stationed at booth 105A in the Exhibit Hall and available at the Tech Fair on June 29. Make sure to stop by and say hello to our team when you're there!

06/11/2025

CVET management team members are deep in the thick of ICS-300 and ICS-400 trainings this week, building critical response skills alongside our partners and colleagues at the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, Office of Spill Prevention and Response - OSPR, Marin Humane, and East Bay SPCA. This intermediate and advanced-level training prepares us all to take on leadership roles in complex emergency incidents and work seamlessly across agencies when it matters most.

06/03/2025

This past weekend, we participated in a multi-regional disaster simulation exercise hosted by County of Sonoma. We had the privilege of collaborating with multiple community animal response teams (CARTs) and community emergency response teams (CERTs) on a response to a simulated earthquake and fire scenario, providing emergency response, sheltering, and veterinary care to affected animals. Exercises like these are invaluable for strengthening coordination, refining protocols, and ensuring teams are prepared to respond effectively when real disasters strike.

06/02/2025

Check out AVMA PLIT for some great resources on wildfire preparedness: pages.avmaplit.com/disaster-resources-wildfires

05/30/2025

Our large animal clinician Dr. Briana Hamamoto will be a guest speaker at the 2025 Western States Horse Expo coming up on June 6-8! She will be presenting on the topic: Disaster Preparedness - Preparing Your Barn

Expo tickets available at horsexpo.com

05/29/2025

Strengthening Emergency Preparedness: We recently participated in the California Emergency Services Association (CESA) Annual Conference, marking our third year in a row exhibiting to conference attendees. Through key collaborations, CVET aims to streamline efforts in animal evacuation, sheltering, and veterinary care during disasters. These partnerships are crucial for developing standardized protocols and ensuring a unified approach to animal disaster response.

The California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET) recently participated in the California Emergency Services Association (CESA) Annual Conference, marking our third year in a row exhibiting to conference attendees. This event provides an invaluable platform for CVET to engage with emergency managers,....