Expert on equine disaster situations to speak at UW-Madison

The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine continuing education program will host the 21st annual seminar “Horse Emergencies: Being Prepared During Disaster Situations” on Saturday, Feb. 20.

The morning session will be held in the Ebling Symposium Auditorium located within the Microbial Sciences Building, 1550 Linden Drive. The afternoon demonstrations will be at the UW Stock Pavilion, 1675 Linden Drive.

Expert Eric Thompson, chief animal control officer for the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department, will cover what to do if a horse is stuck in the mud, stranded on ice, trapped in a burning barn or involved in other emergency situations.

He will show participants how to perform basic rescue techniques using anything commonly found around the ranch, including the “kitchen sink.” Thompson is a national responder and instructor for Code 3 Associates and is operations manager for the Emergency Equine Response Unit. He is certified in water, mud, rock, ice, fire and trailer rescue of animals, and he has received 25 certificates of achievement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in disaster planning.

Participants will be given the opportunity to revisit current emergency plans and network with local resources to develop new ones. Thompson will provide demonstrations and show how preplanning can go a long way in equine emergency situations. A special demonstration by the UW Mounted Police will round out the day.

Advance registration for this seminar is $45 per person (or $39 per person for groups of five or more) on or before Friday, Feb. 5. After that date, admission becomes $60 per person.

For more information, contact Karl Olson 608-890-1774, Olsonk@vetmed.wisc.edu or visit http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/ce/horse_owner