The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is spearheading a nationwide initiative to enhance the training of New Zealanders in caring for and handling companion animals during civil defence emergencies.
Gina Kemp, MPI’s team leader for animal welfare emergency management, highlighted the importance of this effort, noting that about two-thirds of New Zealand households have at least one companion animal, such as a dog, cat, or bird.
“In emergencies, people are often reluctant to evacuate if they cannot take their pets. This reluctance can endanger their lives and those of emergency responders,” Kemp stated.
To address this issue, MPI is collaborating with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to conduct 13 two-day training workshops across the country. These workshops aim to enhance the skills and capacity of councils, government agencies, zoos, wildlife parks, and iwi organizations. The inaugural workshop will be held in Wellington on July 13-14, 2024, and is already fully booked.
The training, provided by Fire Rescue and First Response, will cover an NZQA-registered unit standard on delivering companion animal welfare during a civil defence emergency. One key aspect of the training is teaching organizations how to set up temporary animal shelters, similar to the facility at Hastings Racecourse used during Cyclone Gabrielle. This facility cared for companion animals, wildlife, and horses and marked MPI’s first collaboration with IFAW’s Oceania team.
“Existing shelters and pounds are often full, so these workshops will increase the knowledge of those running evacuation centres during emergencies,” Kemp added. “This includes training on preventing injuries and controlling the spread of diseases, such as those transmissible between animals and people.”
IFAW’s animal rescue programme officer, Robert Leach, emphasized the benefits of the partnership with MPI. “Emergencies are stressful for both people and their pets. Our collaboration with MPI will help reduce barriers for people bringing their companion animals to evacuation centres or shelters during emergencies, while also improving animal welfare outcomes,” Leach said.
He further noted that IFAW will share its extensive experience from leading disaster response efforts worldwide, including recent operations in Ukrainian war zones, Greek wildfires, and French floods.
The MPI has received nearly 200 expressions of interest from individuals and organizations eager to participate in the workshops.
Related Topics:
