60 mins
NationalPrivate veterinarians will play a critical role in responding to emergency animal disease (EAD) outbreaks.
In the event of an EAD incursion in Australia, private veterinarians will be needed to provide a range of field-based services, including investigating suspect cases, conducting field surveillance, collecting diagnostic samples, vaccination of livestock and euthanasia.
Australia will need ’all hands-on deck’ for a timely, efficient and effective response to a large EAD incursion such as foot-and-mouth disease or avian influenza.
As part of the preparedness efforts to prepare Australia for an EAD outbreak, a collection of essential training is listed below:
Peace time – pre-deployment
EAD foundation course (part one and two)
The Emergency Animal Disease foundation course (part one and two) course informs learners about how EAD responses are managed in Australia, and to give a foundation for further training in EAD response functions.
Course length: 120 minutes (part 1 and part 2)
Disease specific training
FMD training for veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals
The Foot-and-Mouth Disease training for veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals course provides veterinarians and veterinary paraprofessionals with information about FMD clinical signs, differential diagnoses, sample collection, sample submission and diagnostics.
Course length: 210 minutes
ASF Surveillance and Sampling
The African Swine Fever Surveillance and Sampling course provides information on disease surveillance and diagnostic sampling to help protect Australia from the threat of ASF.
Course length: 150 minutes
ASF prevention and early detection
The African Swine Fever prevention and early detection course provides information on recognising and reporting clinical signs of ASF.
Course length: 90 minutes
FMD awareness – protecting your livelihood and community
The Foot-and-Mouth Disease awareness – protecting your livelihood and community course provides information on the importance of prevention measures, early detection and reporting.
Course length: 45 minutes
Introduction to FMD
The Introduction to Foot-and-Mouth Disease course provides an overview of FMD, helps recognise or suspect the disease in the field, identifies the correct samples to collect, and outlines the relevant control measures.
Course length: 60 minutes
Introduction to LSD
The Introduction to Lumpy skin disease course provides an overview of LSD, its distribution, impacts, aetiology, diagnosis epidemiology and control options.
Course length: 45 minutes
Livestock standstill for foot-and-mouth disease
The Livestock standstill for foot-and-mouth disease course provides an overview of what happens in the event of a livestock standstill.
Course length: 15 minutes
Lumpy skin disease awareness
The Lumpy skin disease awareness course provides information on the risk and impact of LSD on the farming industry, and mitigations.
Course length: 15 minutes
Rabies awareness and early detection
The Rabies awareness and early detection course provides veterinarians, para-veterinary professionals and local government staff (animal management officers and environmental health workers) an overview of rabies disease caused by Lyssavirus rabies (RABV).
Course length: 60 minutes
These courses can also be found on the National Biosecurity Training Hub by filtering the courses with the topic, ‘EAD vet resources’.
Whether you work with companion animals, livestock, in industry or academia, the expertise of all veterinarians – both recent graduates and experienced practitioners, will be pivotal in responding to an EAD outbreak. Vets will be matched to appropriate roles in an EAD response.
To express your interest in supporting EAD responses, register your interest through your annual Veterinary Board registration process or email your relevant state or territory department, who will also be able to answer any questions you have.
- New South Wales [email protected]
- Northern Territory [email protected]
- Queensland [email protected]
- South Australia [email protected]
- Tasmania [email protected]
- Victoria [email protected]
- Western Australia [email protected]
Other resources and links
The National Guidance document on the engagement of private veterinarians during an emergency animal disease response (Updated June 2023) can be downloaded from the DAFF website: National Guidance document on the engagement of private veterinarians during an emergency animal disease response.
Frequently asked questions are published on the DAFF website: Engaging Private Veterinarians in an Emergency Animal Disease Response.
A digital story of the experience of two private veterinarians working in an EAD response is also available on the DAFF website: Private veterinarians in emergency animal disease outbreaks.
