Veterinary Emergency Team Sees Steady Flow of Injured Animals

September 14, 2011 - The number of animals seen by the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team has remained steady as team members continue operating at the Bastrop Rodeo Arena. Two veterinarians and a total of nine fourth year veterinary medical students have participated in in the Bastrop Complex deployment, providing relief for other members of the team.

"As of this moment, we anticipate continuing our operations through the later part of the week," said Dr. Wesley Bissett, assistant professor of large animal clinical sciences at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and director of the VET. "We could potentially de-mobilize on Friday, but we are committed to serving as long as we are needed."

Bissett noted that one of the challenges his team has faced during this deployment has been dealing with equipment repair. Yet, there are even positive stories that have come out of these types of difficulties, which demonstrate not only the ability of the Bastrop community to respond to an emergency, but also its resilience and ability to recover.

"A perfect example is a mechanic from BaBa's Automotive Repair," said Bissett. "He came to our base of operations to help with a mechanical issue we were having with our equipment and refused to take any reimbursement for his efforts. He knew we were there to support his community, and he came out to support our efforts. For this we are grateful. There is no doubt in any of our minds that this community has been dealt a serious blow, and at the same time there is also no doubt the citizens of this town and county will persevere."

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