LSU School of Veterinary Medicine students, faculty and alumni provide care for animals directly impacted by the oil.
LSU School of Veterinary Medicine on the front lines caring for animals affected by oil spill
On April 20, the Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded in the Gulf of Mexico off of the Louisiana coast. The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is assisting with the disaster response in two ways – providing medical care for animals directly affected by the oil spill along the Gulf coast and providing medical care for non-oiled injured animals brought to LSU by state and/or animal rescue groups.
Arriving along the Gulf coast on May 1, Charity Uman, Tristan Colonius and Margaret Jensen were some of the first veterinary students to provide support to the Louisiana State Animal Response Team, or LSART, the International Bird Rescue Research Center, or IBRRC, and the Tri-State Bird Rescue in south Louisiana. The LSART mobile unit is providing internet access and a mobile command unit to the IBRRC and Tri-State personnel and volunteers at the rehabilitation center at Fort Jackson in Plaquemines Parish.
As the disaster response continues, veterinary students are now taking the lead with alumna Renee Poirrier, LSART director, facilitating and communicating between Tri-State and LSART. The veterinary school volunteers, who underwent special hazardous materials training, are located at two sites along the coast: the rehabilitation center at Fort Jackson in Buras, La., and Grand Isle Stabilization Center in Grand Isle, La. Student Eli Landry is working with companies contracted to transport the oiled animals from various marinas to Fort Jackson. Steven Buco and other veterinary students are staffing and leading the Grand Isle stabilization site. Uman originally coordinated the Grand Isle site, which is now being coordinated by Buco. Current student Melanie Reed was key in assisting with the set-up at the rehabilitation site at Fort Jackson and is a key communicator for LSART.
In addition to transporting animals, veterinary students are working as wildlife paraprofessionals under the direction of the Tri-State, IBRRC and LSART. Working under the direct supervision of veterinarians, the students are stabilizing the oiled animals with oral fluids and nutrition. The School of Veterinary Medicine’s mobile emergency response unit is on stand-by and ready to support the stabilization stations if needed.
On May 1, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine received the first non-oiled injured bird, a yellow-crowned night heron, at the request of the Department of Wildlife & Fisheries. The heron was found by Tri-State Bird Rescue and transferred by LSART to the Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana. The bird presented with a clavicle fracture (minimally displaced) and will remain at the hospital for at least four to six weeks while the fracture heals. It is scheduled to be returned to the wild once rehabilitated. LSU has received another night heron, seven brown pelicans, two white pelicans, a cormorant, three laughing gulls, a purple gallinule, a tern and a gannet.
The Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana stands ready to care for all incapacitated animals not directly affected by the oil found in the area of the oil spill response. The number of injured wildlife not affected by the oil found in this area may increase as more responders begin to work in what normally would be a low population area. This will lead to the identification of sick and injured animals that otherwise may not have been observed by the general public. These animals may be affected by the inability to obtain food, natural injuries, boat injuries or stress.
The Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana cares for wildlife at no charge to individuals or agencies that present animals for veterinary care. It relies on monetary gifts to cover all costs and subsequent rehabilitation and release back into the wild.
To make an on-line contribution, please go to https://www.lsufoundation.org/contribute.php and, in the section labeled “Please select your gift designation(s),” select your beneficiary unit (“School of Veterinary Medicine”) and choose a fund (“Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana”). You may also mail your check or money order made payable to “LSU Foundation” (please put “SVM Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana” in the memo line) to LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Office of Institutional Advancement, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. For more information about giving to LSU SVM, please contact us at 225-578-9900.
Ginger Guttner | LSU School of Veterinary Medicine
July 2010
