A new state program will be able to better respond to emergencies and provide care for household animals and livestock. The new California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET) will be administered by the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Through the program, a network of government agencies, organizations, and individuals will be trained to provide care for domestic animals and livestock during emergencies.
The state will be providing $3 million a year for the program through legislation that was included in the state budget. Funding support for the CVET program will reportedly provide unprecedented resources to help bring together multiple partners from across the state. The team will work to recruit and train volunteers and veterinarians on the best practices for emergency medicine.
CVET will operate under a memorandum of understanding with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Office of Emergency Services. It will take some time to fully develop the new emergency team. CVET will remain in the planning phase for the current fire season, with expectations for the team to be available to deploy beginning next year. Once the emergency team is fully operational, it will become available to respond to disasters anywhere in the state.
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