Oregon Animal Disease Emergency Plan
Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), Division of Animal Health and Identification (AHID) in conjunction with the USDA, has developed a plan of action for response to animal disease emergencies or animal disasters. The plan is called the Oregon Animal Disease Emergency Plan and encompasses response to foreign animal disease outbreaks and animal disasters.
As part of this plan, AHID is training veterinarians and veterinary support staff in animal health emergency management and to serve as members of the Oregon Veterinary Emergency Response Team (OVERT).
Currently over 90 Oregon veterinarians and 30 veterinary technicians are members of OVERT. They have received initial training and receive periodic continuing education. These training sessions are held throughout the state.
Tiah Schwartz, CVT and Lead Technician and Nicole Papageorgiou, CVT and Hospital Manager at Laurelhurst have joined the Oregon Veterinary Emergency Response Team (OVERT) and just attended a recent training in proper procedures for surveillance and testing of farm and wild birds for the avian influenza.
The first part of the training was refinement and fitting of respirators worn by OVERT members during such testing or emergency situations.The fit is tested carefully by spraying a very bitter tasting substance into a hood. If you smell or taste this your respirator is not the right fit.
For example, people with smaller faces need a respirator that is made for their facial size and shape. This is just one of the parameters that is checked.
Next, was the "clean and dirty line" training. As members of OVERT, part of our duties may be to go out to local farms or wildlife areas for surveillance and/or testing of birds for the avian flu virus.
OVERT members are taught the proper procedures and steps to put on the protective suit and gloves. The most important part of the training is how to ensure the sterility of the testing. Next, we are taught how to collect samples correctly for testingOur "patient" seemed to test negative at this time J.
This surveillance and testing is important to protect our farmers, our local avian wildlife and pet birds from any possible contagion or disease. We want to keep the Oregon animal population healthy and safe.
This is just one of the continuous trainings OVERT members receive. The Oregon animal population encompasses many species and, as such, training is on-going for all possible scenarios. We also receive training in the National Incident Management System and the National Response Plan. Visit the FEMA webpage for more information www.fema.gov
If you are interested in being a part of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), please visit the www.citizencorps.gov/programs/cert/ to find out more information. You can join a current CERT or form a new one in your area. CERT trainings show you ways you can help prepare for disasters and to lessen their effect when they occur.
Whether it is practicing fire and evacuation drills at your own work place, updating your first aid training and CPR skills, preparedness classes in your community, or getting involved with your county emergency management office, there is a lot you can do to help at home.
Coffee Creek Correctional Facility
We have some updated pictures of "Nyja" - the Laurelhurst sponsored puppy being trained at Coffee Creek Correctional Institute as part of the Canine Companions for Independence. Look at how fast she is growing! We look forward to being a part of her development and watching her successfully complete this special training.
Glenna, Enoki, Nyja and Heidi all arrived at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF) on September 7, 2005. Cindy Clark, Volunteer Puppy Raiser and Melody Ennis (Canine Companions for Independence) picked them up from Portland International Airport and transported them to CCCF.
All four, 4 month old puppies were greeted by Laurene Brenner, CCCF Program Coordinator, two senior puppy handlers, Belinda Ledbetter and Lisa Bode, and five novice handlers, Tamara, April, Julie, Shannon and Crystal.
During off-leash puppy play in the outdoor yard, all four puppies have some very unique play antics. Nyja takes the plastic red ball and plays soccer all by herself, while Enoki, being the independent one, prefers to do her own thing. After awhile she chases the other three girls with a rope toy in her mouth trying to bait them into a game of tug-of-war. This, however, is done only at her convenience. Then we have Heidi who is our track star. When she is trying to gain the other three puppies' attention, she will do what we call the combat run. She does this by tucking her butt and running like the road runner from Looney Tunes. Heidi is our energizer puppy. Finally, we have Glenna, who is the smallest in size but by far the one with the most go, go, go. Glenna lets all of us know that she has talent by jumping over and on top of all three puppies like a baby deer. Just as a deer does this with great eloquence, so does Glenna.
All four puppies are progressing in the appropriate manner for their age. The following commands are those that we have both taught them and are currently teaching them:
- Sit
- Shake
- Kennel
- Quit
- Name
- Heel (only with positioning)
- Okay (to eat food)
- Dress (both gentle leader and cape)
- Let's Go (Loose leash walking)
- Here
- Release
- Down
- Hurry
- Don't
- NO
- Wait
- Halt
- Off
- Stand
- Roll (only the positioning)
We here at CCCF look forward to providing you with monthly updates and activities that Glenna, Enoki, Nyja and Heidi assist us with. All seven of us CCPP raisers are learning and gaining a great deal of knowledge! We would also like to thank all of you for all of your support and encouragement in this program.
NYJA – is the puppy Laurelhurst Veterinary Hospital is sponsoring through her training!!
Thank You!
Thank you to our wonderful friends and community for their support of the CHIP & CLIP Event on July 31, 2005. We were able to raise $2500.00 to support the Dove Lewis Capital Campaign Fund.
We could not have done it without our community of caring pet owners, the vendors who donated product to make this event possible, the support from Laurelhurst, Townhouse Pet Care Center and The Oregon Mt Community staff and help and encouragement from Dove Lewis staff and volunteers.
A special thank you to:
- Laurelhurst Veterinary Hospital Staff
- Townhouse Pet Care Center Staff
- Oregon Mountain Community Staff
- Dove Lewis Animal Emergency Hospital Staff and Volunteers
- Advantage Topical Flea treatment
- AVID Microchips
- Red Cross
- MWI vendor support
- Henry Schein vendor support
- Portland Tribune
- Josh Schwartz for the great T-shirt design
Thanks to Everyone Who Came By and Donated to this Great Cause!
Laurelhurst has a new puppy!
As part of our Community Outreach at Laurelhurst Veterinary Hospital, we are sponsoring a puppy to be trained at the Coffee Creek Correctional Institute. Laurelhurst's new puppy should be arriving at Coffee Creek for training by the 1st or 2nd week of September.
Our sponsorship means our Doctors and Staff will be providing this new puppy all of the necessary veterinary medical care which includes examinations, vaccination, and de-worming treatments. The female inmates at Coffee Creek provide a community service by training skilled service dogs for the disabled. Only the inmates who have meet the strict qualifications as a trainer and handler are involved in this training process.
Due to the great work by the inmate handlers, Coffee Creek has successfully sent 11 dogs to The Canine Companions for Independence headquarters in Santa Rosa, California for advanced training. Laurelhurst will have monthly updates, personality antidotes prepared by the inmate handler and pictures of our new puppy. So we can all watch this special being grow! It will be on the information board in the hospital and on the Laurelhurst website.
HOW EXCITING!