Large Animal Rescue: An introduction for horse owners on working with emergency responders
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Transcript of Large Animal Rescue: An introduction for horse owners on working with emergency responders
A N I N T R O D U C T I O N F O R H O R S E O W N E R S O N H O W T O W O R K W I T H E M E R G E N C Y R E S P O N D E R S
Large Animal Rescue
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au June 2015
Large Animal Emergency Rescue is the response phase of
• a natural or manmade disaster
• or accident;
where specialized training and equipment are required to rescue a large animal such as a horse or cow.
Emergency services will not be required at many incidents however from time to time, such as a road crash involving a float, horse owners will need to work with volunteer agencies to save the horse.
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Why Large Animal Rescue?
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Workplace safety (Staff & volunteers)
Animal welfare
Need for training rises as population becomes urbanised/ less historical animal knowledge
Increased value of individual animals
Increased understanding of the human-animal attachment and how this affects decision making e.g. evacuation messaging in disasters
In an Emergency- for horse owners
1. Dial 000 Never try to rescue a horse yourself that is in a situation that will also put you into danger. This call
is free & so is the response. 2. Call your Vet: - or work with the emergency responders to find one.
The horse owner pays for the vet. A horse cannot be manoeuvred or extracted unless heavily sedated. If the owner is unknown, RSPCA/PIRSA/SAVEM will be called.
3. Stay calm: Horses respond to human anxiety. Unless you are completely calm, you might inadvertently stress your
horse even more. Keep your phone line clear
4. Calm your horse: Keep the accident scene as quiet as possible. Food is a good natural tranquilliser. An equine “friend” horse
nearby will help. Remember, flashing lights and sirens will give you a sense of relief but may have the opposite effect on the horse. If possible (and safe) place a halter on the horse
5. Let the emergency services do their job: There are procedures to follow to ensure human safety as well as the horse.
Be ready to follow instructions. Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Care for & Manage People
People come first
• First Aid principles
• Get medical help for injured vehicle drivers, riders, officials, spectators
• Manage uninjured emotional riders, strappers, family
• Spectator control
Photos: Friends of Hampshire Fire & RescueHorse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Emergency Responders Arrive ….
Emergency Services will:
• Assess the scene (human injuries/ hazards/biosecurity/horse)
• Make the scene safe
• Call a Veterinarian (if not done so already)
• Plan the rescue (including calculation of risk for human and horse) Selection of the lowest technology method that minimises risk to the horse and handlers. Horse owner advice sought.
• Brief the crew
• Commence the rescue Standard Operating Procedures will be observed. Not all rescues can be successfully completed and euthanasia may be required
• Hand the horse back to the owner (or an authority e.g. RSPCA)
• Complete scene requirements (documentation/tidy up/safety)
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Horse Owners – Avoid being the risk
Horse owners have been known to have a strong attachment to their horse and may sometimes:
Show high levels of emotion, perhaps irrational and sometimes aggressive
Put themselves at great risk
May try to direct emergency responders to perform practices that are dangerous
Feelings of guilt fear and anger
The behaviour of a horse owner may compromise a rescue and put emergency responders at risk.
Similarly any person at a rescue scene, untrained in procedures and unfamiliar with the Incident Command
System should be considered a hazard due to the known possible reactions of both human and animal at
the rescue site.
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Follow instructions from emergency services about working in zones
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Work in “safer spaces” around the horse
Avoid legs kick & strike
Avoid head butt
Photo: Mary Anne Leighton
Avoid tail Swish
Work in a calm and consistent way around the horse with voice and body language.
Avoid ‘winding-up’ or stimulating the horse in any way.
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Be aware of the changing flight zone
Horse Behaviour
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Horses are prey animals (flight or fight)
Horses are herd animals (social)
Horses don’t think- they react
Horses have a big personal space, which changes according to how safe they feel
Horses keep quiet once trapped until they sense freedom – then they can struggle to the ‘point of self-destruction’ Personal space around the horse
constantly changes with the overall feeling of his personal safety. It can change in a split second.
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Horse Behaviour
Before, during and after a rescue horses need
• To feel ‘safe’
• Have food & water available (to be offered on veterinary advice)
• Have social interaction (another horse nearby)
• Leadership > confident handlers, quiet & calm
Understand how a horse can see. Avoid red areas known as ‘blind spots’. Do not approach the horse unless absolutely necessary to avoid any bad reactions.
The Role of a Veterinarian
Often at an accident scene, all that owners and emergency service volunteers can do is stabilise the situation and wait until a veterinarian arrives, keeping the horse calm & preparing a safe area for the horse to “go to” afterwards.
Sedation will be required, or euthanasia, before a horse can be safety manoeuvred out of the situation.
Fortunately, an increasing number of equine veterinarians are now familiar with Large Animal Rescue techniques, along with emergency services
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
What role does the owner play?
• Keeps a “helicopter” eye over the whole scene
• Discusses with the safety officer aspects that will assist a safer rescue e.g. containment options if not haltered
• Identify a safe place to move the horse to after the rescue (e.g. onto a flat spot nearby)
• Observes & records horse status for vet
• Arranges for halter, rugs, feed, companion horse, first aid etc. Provides authority for hire of specialist lifting or digging equipment if needed (low tech options first)
• Plans for post-rescue. May include horse transport or nearby accommodation, fodder, veterinary examination (highly recommended), transfer to veterinary hospital. Documentation for insurance requirements.
Are all essential
numbers in your
phone?
Stay calm and be an effective
team member
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Three common techniques
DO NOT use the horse's legs, tailbone or head as handles or fixture
points for ropes.
DO NOT use the horse’s head, legs or tail as handle
bars or to fix leverage points for lifts or drags. Protect the
downside eye.
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
1: Hampshire Skid
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
For use where dorsal access is available, to place onto a glide or where injuries may require use of this technique
2. Backwards assist
For use where access is via the rear/rump or injuries may require use of this technique
3. Forward Assist
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
For use where access is via the front or injuries may require use of this technique
Technique to move a horse while under heavy sedation using a rescue glide
Loading onto a bow loading boat Ready to attach the spreader bar and move the glide in any direction
Horses can be prepared for transport to an equine hospital or field treatment area
Photos: MaryAnne Leighton
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Technique to move a deceased horse
* Mannequin horses and glides are available from Equine Emergency Rescue http://www.equineer.com/
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation
Caring for a horse after a RescueA health check by a veterinarian
is strongly recommended
• Horses can die of shock
• Accidental hypothermia can set in
• There may be puncture wounds or other less obvious injuries
• Breathing may have been compromised
• Dehydration may have occurred
• Vaccination boosters may be required
Regularly observe the horse, including taking of temperature for a number of days after the incident
Photos: University of Adelaide Equine Health & Performance Centre
Find out more
Equine Emergency Rescue By MaryAnne LeightonPurchase via Horse SA online store http://shop.horsesa.asn.au/books
Or visit http://www.equineer.com/
Visit the Horse SA website and click onto “Large Animal Rescue” for recorded presentations from the 2013 International Large Animal Rescue Conference + other info and links
Join your local State Emergency Service
Attend a workshop by Horse SA
Email Horse SA asking to join the weekly e-news for horse industry updates which includes LAR
Search Facebook for
a) Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue
b) British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.auE: [email protected]
Gimenez, R. & Giminez, T & May, K. (2008). Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue. Wiley- Blackwell: Iowa USA
Hampshire Fire & Rescue: http://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/about-us/what-we-do/animal-rescue/