Fire At Veterinary Clinic?

[Fuzzycuddles]

So I was wondering what are the policies if there is a fire at a vet clinic? What's the policy re the animals in their care and how do they manage this? I'm hoping someone with some experience can answer as I got to wondering with summer coming up how many vet clinics are bush fire ready and how many dogs may be lost depending on policy. Also does policy differ between clinics/ city& rural areas?

[sandgrubber]

Add boarding kennels to the question. They are more likely to be in bush areas, and very likely to be full over the summer holidays, when fires often get out of control.

I once tried to work on organised evacuation plans in a WA kennel area. No one was enthusiastic. All kennels seem to have their own ad hoc plans, which may or may not work. Ok. I'm a poor sales person. I hope someone else can do a better job of recognising the problem and getting a good response plan implemented.

[DobieMum]

I can help with an answer for some kennels here in Qld, including the RSPCA.

During the floods last year, in the prep for it, someone put out a call for people with dog trailers or ways of transporting dogs (I know a fridge van turned up) to contact a number. We were co-ordinated to turn up to specific kennels and we took as many dogs as possible and moved them to other kennels, that weren't going to flood. I think 5 kennels plus the RSPCA were moved in this way. It did take someone co-ordinating it though.

[dancinbcs]

I remember that during the Canberra fires a few years ago one of the vet surgeries and all the animals in were lost in the fires. The staff barely got away with their lives because they had no warning.

[Dogsfevr]

Add boarding kennels to the question. They are more likely to be in bush areas, and very likely to be full over the summer holidays, when fires often get out of control.

I once tried to work on organised evacuation plans in a WA kennel area. No one was enthusiastic. All kennels seem to have their own ad hoc plans, which may or may not work. Ok. I'm a poor sales person. I hope someone else can do a better job of recognising the problem and getting a good response plan implemented.

Um speak for yourself there the kennel people DON"T have a hoc plan & most of us have worked very well in evacuating kennels when there have been fires .

Not sure how many you helped when you lived here ??

We have helped 5 times with no dog losses at all & all the kennels opening there doors to fit dogs in.

The other time many of us attended to dogs that where delivered to the Canine grounds & helped over see there safety whilst the owners tended to there properties,most of us came armed with trailers ,crates,bowls,bedding & the vet clinics had been contacted incase any dogs needed to be brought in with smoke issues .

Most vets these days don't do over night stays & the ones we know off have staff stay ,those in bushfire risk areas would be like most places you have a plan but your reliant of the fire gods as to the time you have .

We have already assisted with 1 evacuation this year & are ready for this summer.We have 2 trailers & a Van & have the trailers hitched in extremem conditions & don't venture any further than 30 mins in summer by choice

The community work well with those that don't own kennels but have there own leaving mobile numbers & a plan with those based from home & are able to assist.We have knowledge & numbers of those with dog floats etc etc.

The kennel community works very well together & that includes all kennel zones .

We are very smoke aware to & have a good idea of smoke direction & risk to the kennel area.s close to us & we will phone people & vice versa.

FB is also a wonderful tool for fire assisting & help where best required & this avenue has worked well on many occasions

Edited December 22, 2011 by showdog

[Fuzzycuddles]

I wouldn't group flood evacuation plans and fire evacuation plans together, entirely different kettle of fish and often floods have more warning and aren't quite as quick to kill where as a fire can kill before the fire even reaches the location with smoke and heat and can be quick to change course and unpredictable to fight.

I'm concerned because so many have their dogs boarded for Xmas and I know there are a few boarded at vets so not just kennels. Anyone have any personal experience with how a fire evacuation plan would go? I know in our house there is a buddy system for animals (modeled after a friends system) some call me crazy but I'm not leaving my fur babies if there is any chance of getting them out at all.

[Guest Willow]

I worked at a pound/animal shelter some years back. There were levels of response, depending on the source of the fire and the risk ranging from evacuationg kennel blocks through to the last resort (dire emergency) opening all the kennel doors onto several fenced acres and letting them go in the hope they can find a safe spot, to be rounded up afterwards.

We were taught human life comes first and only to rescue the animals if safe to do so, same with when i worked in a vet clinic.

[Fuzzycuddles]

That doesn't sound too impractical and I'd like to hope the dogs would have a better chance than when shut in a kennel.

[Perry's Mum]

I remember that during the Canberra fires a few years ago one of the vet surgeries and all the animals in were lost in the fires. The staff barely got away with their lives because they had no warning.

That was the Weston Woden Animal Hospital. The RSPCA in Canberra also burnt down and people risked their lives to save the animals. I think the ones they could not find foster homes for ended up in empty cages at the zoo.

[Fuzzycuddles]

I remember that during the Canberra fires a few years ago one of the vet surgeries and all the animals in were lost in the fires. The staff barely got away with their lives because they had no warning.

That was the Weston Woden Animal Hospital. The RSPCA in Canberra also burnt down and people risked their lives to save the animals. I think the ones they could not find foster homes for ended up in empty cages at the zoo.

People do amazing things for animals lol @ dogs in a zoo though I am glad they found somewhere for them to stay happy fuzzy feelings knowing not everyone puts dogs behind humans