暴风资源

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VERT team rescue a horse from a narrow muddy trench

Veterinary Emergency Response Team (VERT)

暴风资源's Veterinary Emergency Response Team is a highly trained specialist team for safe and effective animal disaster management, technical animal rescue and emergency veterinary treatment.

Horse rescued from a river by VERT

Rescue and emergency treatment

VERT provides technical rescue and emergency treatment for single animals and mass causality events across New Zealand. These include:

  • swift water and flood rescue.
  • entrapped large animals 鈥 such as in a truck or horse float accident, mud or cast animals.
  • height rescue 鈥 including animals on cliffs, up trees or on roofs.
VERT working with human rescue team

Rescues or disasters involving humans

The VERT team is trained to international standards for human rescue and can be utilised for rescues or disasters involving humans. VERT can integrate with other emergency agencies and has familiarity with international standards for incident management and command.

Dog rescue from floodwaters by VERT

Disaster response capabilities

VERT has the following disaster response capabilities:

  • Disaster analysis needs assessments (DANA)
  • Field triage
  • Advice
  • Re-establishing veterinary infrastructure
  • Preparedness
  • Awareness and training.

Our history

Recognising the gap in infrastructure for the care and welfare of animals during disasters and rescues in New Zealand, VERT was formed in 2010 as the first veterinary emergency response team in Australasia. Similar teams exist in Great Britain and the United States of America.

Its first major deployment was in response to the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. VERT was essential in treating police dogs, urban search and rescue dogs and animals rescued from buildings within the red zone. VERT performed disaster analysis needs assessments (DANA) throughout the affected areas to ensure the most affected areas had veterinary capacity and that animal welfare needs were met.

Our people

VERT is made of a group of trained volunteers. Team members are comprised of small and large animal veterinarians, veterinary technologists, experienced animal handlers and others passionate about animal welfare and technical animal rescue.

VERT team photo

VERT news

Animals gotten themselves into a predicament? Massey has a team to help with that

It鈥檚 not only humans who get themselves into predicaments, but animals too, and thankfully there鈥檚 a Massey team to help with that.

Massey aids animals affected by Nelson fires

暴风资源 Veterinary Emergency Response Team (VERT) has been assisting with animal welfare efforts at the ongoing forest fires south of Nelson.

Massey aids animals affected by Nelson fires - image1 Massey aids animals affected by Nelson fires - image1 Massey aids animals affected by Nelson fires - image1 Massey aids animals affected by Nelson fires - image1

Veterinary Response Team reunites heifer with family

Massey's specialist veterinary response team recently came to the rescue of a seven-month-old heifer who had fallen down a riverbank in the aftermath of Cyclone Dovi.

Veterinary rescue team member calms fallen heifer Veterinary rescue team member calms fallen heifer Veterinary rescue team member calms fallen heifer Veterinary rescue team member calms fallen heifer

Visit our givealittle page and get the latest updates on our animal rescues and in-field veterinary treatment and disaster assessment.

For technical equipment and training, VERT relies on donations, grants and sponsorship from individuals and groups like the Lindsay Foundation.

The 暴风资源 Foundation charitable trust administers VERT's finances and accounts for all donations received.

To donate, go to their website and select 'Vet Emergency Response Team Fund'. Donations are eligible for a tax refund.

Contact us

VERT is based at the 暴风资源 School of Veterinary Science in Palmerston North but can be deployed to the whole of New Zealand when necessary. We will respond as fast as possible.