Texas Equine Veterinary Association

www.texasequineva.com • Page 20 H U R R I C A N E H A R V E Y Formed not only to ensure the health and safety of the largest horse population of any state in the United States, TEVA has worked since its inception to create opportunities for equine veterinarians to establish professional relationships within their industry where resources are shared, friendships are made and camaraderie is created. Never before have the group's principals been more imperative, than when Hurricane Harvey made landfall in the Texas Coastal Bend area on Friday night, August 25, 2017, ultimately dumping 27 trillion gallons of water and over parts of the state by Sunday, August 27. e TEVA Board knew they had horses, friends, co-workers, and family in need. Some lost their clinics. Others hunkered down aer sending their families to safe haven. Many were without power and running water for days, and homes were destroyed. TEVA's Board of Directors responded quickly and began orchestrating a plan. By Monday, August 28, less than three days aer landfall, they had begun staging supplies. eir immediate relief effort? Ensuring veterinarians were well stocked and in turn, able to treat all emergency situations through an Emergency Medical Supply program set up through MWI Veterinary Supply. First TEVA organized veterinary hospitals statewide to act as donation hubs on the outskirts of the storm-ravaged area. Great Southwest Equestrian Center (GSWEC) in Katy, Texas; Brazos Valley Equine Hospital (BVEH) in Navasota, Texas, plus Sam Houston Race Park (SHRP) in Harris County, Texas became the first supply points receiving and distributing provisions to veterinarians. In the following days donation hubs were added farther out from the hardest hit zone at: Austin Equine Hospital, Retama Equine Clinic, BVEH-Salado, Animal Imaging, West Texas Equine Clinic, and Town and Country Animal Hospital. Staged supplies were then moved in from the donation hubs to their final destinations in the hardest hit areas, as roads became passable and shipping services were made available. Owner of BVEH and TEVA Past President, Dr. Ben Buchanan, described his role as "logistics": coordinating supplies, sheltering and rescue efforts. Buchanan communicated with supply points until there was consistent access into harder-hit areas. Familiarity with some of the facilities of the stricken regions, TEVA was also able to contribute their input insofar as the availability, opportunities, and management of barns to house shelter horses. With carrier delivery hindered, BVEH was the only facility in a large geographic area enabled to receive much needed supplies transported by FedEx. Consequently, Buchanan made arrangements for BVEH to rendezvous with veterinarians lacking supplies at locations half-way between their clinics. Although BVEH had the largest dispersal of supplies, several clinics in stricken areas adopted similar protocol ensuring their colleagues were well stocked. As soon as floodwaters began receding, BVEH was able to move supplies to harder hit areas. TEVA Executive Director Sara Green and assistant Blaine Fisher and Keith Kleine from AAEP, were the major players in executing the disposition of supplies, including feed and hay, directing them based on what their "eyes and ears" on the ground related back. Boehringer-Ingelheim representative, Jamie Wells, was a star in this relief effort. Wells arranged for supplies from numerous companies to be shipped to her home in San Antonio; she then hand-delivered necessities to accessible veterinary clinics located in many affected areas, all the while helping to direct needed goods to flood victims. Waters receding and linemen moving into the northern Houston areas, enabled Buchanan to go to SHRP and GSWEC to check on their needs. Approximately 250 horses had been evacuated to GSWEC which was fully stocked with more than 4,000 bales of hay plus countless tons of feed. TEVA veterinary contacts, generous caring individuals, many business, including Nutrena helped ensure Harvey's equine victims had adequate nourishment. TEVA and several other organizations helped manage a list of individuals' barns willing to house shelter horses. By mid-September, Green and Fisher had fielded 500+ phone calls, emails, numerous texts and Facebook messages. An incredible outpouring of support from the equine community ensued; groups, associations, companies, and charities across the country offered their assistance and TEVA directed supplies arriving from over 42 States, Great Britain, Canada and Germany. Donated semi-loads of hay were shipped from across the country to destinations in the hurricane-ravaged area. TEVA helped coordinate delivery many of these shipments. Under their direction, pallets of shavings, halters, lead ropes, microchips, buckets, insect repellent, and wound care products were distributed. Another instrumental figure in this relief effort was Dr. Leslie Easterwood, who explains, "My involvement with the Hurricane Harvey response had several facets. I am a member of the AAEP Board of Directors and Treasurer of TEVA. In these roles I helped to keep both groups in the loop with what was happening on the ground with the Texas A&M University (TAMU) Veterinary Response Team (VET). When possible I also helped Sara, Blaine, and Keith direct resources to the needed areas." BY GINGER ELLIOTT

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