Help for California wildfire victims

Like others across the nation, AVMA members are horrified by the images of raging wildfires in California. Communities are being destroyed, lives lost, and livelihoods disrupted. Our hearts go out to all who are in the path of the fires or have loved ones who are threatened.

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF), our charitable foundation, has awarded $20,000 in grants to help with ongoing disaster response and relief in California. Half of the funding will go to the California Veterinary Medical Foundation for the California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps, and the other half to the U.C. Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team. The AVMF made similar donations recently to help hurricane victims in Florida and North Carolina.

These funds will go a long way to help our colleagues and patients affected by these devastating fires. But more help is needed. If you can afford a financial gift, please consider donating to support grants for those in need. Donate at avmf.org/Donate using the AVMF Code "Disaster Relief."

The AVMA also has reached out directly to our members in California to make them aware of additional resources that are available to help them. These include AVMF grants that provide aid directly to individual AVMA and Student AVMA members affected by disasters, materials to help clients with preparedness and to protect animals from wildfire smoke, insurance assistance for AVMA PLIT and AVMA LIFE policyholders, and much more.

If you know colleagues in California, please join us in spreading the word about these valuable resources for disaster aid.

Preparedness saves lives

The wildfires are a reminder that disaster preparedness can save lives. If you’re not directly threatened by these fires, please take time to create or review your disaster plan, and to talk with clients about how they can be prepared to rescue their animals along with themselves. Find tools at avma.org/Disaster to help with your own emergency preparedness and for conversations with clients, including:

Veterinary preparedness and response resources

• Emergency Planning for Veterinary Practices
• AVMA Emergency Preparedness & Response Guide
• Brochure: Disaster Preparedness for Veterinary Clinics (downloadable)

Information to share with clients

• Pets and Disasters
• Large Animals and Livestock in Disasters
• Protecting Animals from Wildfire Smoke
• Emergency Contact Cards (downloadable)