Glassey Steve, Liebergreen Nicola, Ferrere Marcelo Rodriguez, King Mike
Bioethics Centre, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
Faculty of Law, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Jul 17;14(14):2083. doi: 10.3390/ani14142083.
The 2017 Edgecumbe flood in New Zealand necessitated the rescue of over 1000 animals, making it the largest companion animal rescue operation in the nation's history at the time. This qualitative study explores the experiences and perspectives of six first responders from various agencies involved in the animal rescue efforts. Through semi-structured interviews, this study identified several key themes, including challenges during the rescue phase, post-rescue issues, the impact on the human-animal relationship and wellbeing, and the health and safety of responders. The rescue phase was characterised by difficulties in evacuating and rescuing animals, the influence of the socio-zoological scale on rescue prioritisation, issues with feeding animals in place, and the diversity of species requiring rescue. Post-rescue challenges included animal identification and tracking, decontamination, management of deceased animals, and long-term impacts on animals and owners. This study also highlighted the interconnectedness of human and animal welfare during the disaster, as well as the health and safety risks faced by responders. The findings underscore the need for comprehensive collaborative emergency response planning that addresses the needs of both humans and animals, as well as the importance of ongoing efforts to build resilience and preparedness in communities. Lessons learned from the Edgecumbe flood can inform future policy, planning, and practice to enhance the effectiveness and compassion of animal-inclusive emergency management.
2017年新西兰埃奇库姆贝的洪水导致1000多头动物需要救援，使其成为当时该国历史上规模最大的伴侣动物救援行动。这项定性研究探讨了参与动物救援工作的各机构的六名第一响应者的经历和观点。通过半结构化访谈，该研究确定了几个关键主题，包括救援阶段的挑战、救援后的问题、对人宠关系和福祉的影响，以及响应者的健康和安全。救援阶段的特点是疏散和救援动物困难、社会动物规模对救援优先级的影响、就地喂养动物的问题以及需要救援的物种的多样性。救援后的挑战包括动物识别和追踪、去污、死亡动物的管理以及对动物和主人的长期影响。这项研究还强调了灾难期间人类和动物福利的相互联系，以及响应者面临的健康和安全风险。研究结果强调了制定全面协作应急响应计划的必要性，该计划应满足人类和动物的需求，以及社区持续努力建设恢复力和做好准备的重要性。从埃奇库姆贝洪水中学到的经验教训可为未来的政策、规划和实践提供参考，以提高包含动物的应急管理的有效性和同情心。
