Veterinarians: Johnny Canuck wants you.
A pool of private sector veterinarians, called the Canadian Veterinary Reserve, will be created to help the Canadian Food Inspection Agency deal with emergency disease outbreaks.
“(In an emergency) qualified veterinarians from the reserve would come to work with CFIA to supplement our ranks,” said George Luterbach, CFIA program manager for animal health and production in Western Canada.
An outbreak of avian influenza or foot-and-mouth disease in Canadian animal populations are possible scenarios in which trained reservists could be called upon to help federal food inspection officials, Luterbach said.
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In 2001, several hundred cases of foot-and-mouth were detected in the United Kingdom that led to the culling of more than two million animals.
In the event of an animal disease emergency, federal inspection officials would respond, but the reservists could be called up quickly to support the work, said John Drake, chair of the reserve’s advisory board and incoming president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. The idea originated with the association, he said.
“Once you’re activated as a reservist, you become a temporary employee of the CFIA.”
A recruitment campaign will soon be under way. The initial group, a reserve of 100 to 150 vets, will be trained in early 2007. Within five years, the vet association wants the reserve level at 300 to 500. Reservists could also be sent to work in international emergencies.
The CFIA will provide initial funding of $500,000, Drake said. The money will help recruit and train the reservists. The association is also in discussion with the CFIA to secure a multi-year funding commitment.
“We felt that we had an obligation and a responsibility to the veterinary profession to be ready if such a thing as (an animal disease emergency) happened in Canada.”
