Animals in Disasters, Emergencies NZ

Animals in Emergencies and Disasters Conference
9-10 May 2025
Massey University, Palmerston North, NZ
Keynote presenter Jim Green
British Animal Rescue & Trauma Care Assoc.
(Bookings now closed)

Program highlights:
Large scale disasters to incidents involving single large animals.
Guest presenters from UK, Australia and New Zealand
Presentations, expert panels, practical demonstrations, equipment displays, social networking opportunities.
Emergency response at racing and equestrian events workshop

(Note: program subject to change).

Location: Massey University Large Animal Teaching Unit (Shows up on Google maps)

Friday, 9th May 8.45 am - 5.00 pm

Morning Session: Animals in Emergencies: Current and Future State, Policy, Capacity, Capability

Welcome Josh Slater Chair, Animal Emergency Incident Management Network ANZ (AEIMN ANZ), Board member & co-founder British Animal Rescue & Trauma Care Assoc.(BARTA).
Welcome to Massey University. Professor Jon Huxley, Dean and Head of School of Veterinary Science, Massey University.
Plenary: Animal Emergency Incident Response and Management – Building National Capacity and Capability
Jim Green – Director of Operations, Co-Founder: BARTA (see bio below)
Current State of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery in NZ
Heather Newbury JP Senior Advisor Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand (MPI), Shanaea Baker –Regional Animal Welfare Coordinator (MPI).
Panel Discussion: Common Animal Emergency Incidents in NZ
Chair Professor Josh Slater – Professor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Melbourne,
Panelists: (MPI), Carolyn Press-McKenzie Co-founder, Helping You Help Animals (HUHA), Gina Kemp – Team Leader and National Animal Welfare Coordinator for Animal Welfare Emergency Management, Compliance and Response Directorate (MPI), Corey Regnerus-Kell, General Manager Animal Services - SPCA NZ, Dr Steve de Grey Senior Practicing Veterinarian, Massey University, MU VERTBoard member, AEIMN ANZ.
Panel Discussion: Future Aspirations and Potential Barriers for Animal Emergency Incident Management in Australasia
Chair: Dr Hayley Squance Emergency Management Specialist BML Veterinary Consulting
Panelists: Corey Regnerus-Kell, General Manager Animal Services - SPCA NZ, Dr Michelle Logan, Veterinary Advisor, Veterinary Council of New Zealand (VCNZ), Ross McDermott, National Secretary, New Zealand Institute of Animal Management,
Dr Kerri Morgan, Associate Professor Wildlife Health, Director Wildbase Research Centre at Massey University. Oiled Wildlife Response.

Afternoon Session: Technical Aspects- Animal Incident Management

Emergency Incident Management – Current Thinking and Learning from Operational Experience Jim Green BARTA
Rescue Techniques and Equipment – Review of What is in the 'Toolbox'
Patrice Palleson-Putt Lecturer in Veterinary Education, Massey University, Manager, Massey University Veterinary Emergency Response Team (MU VERT), Board member, AEIMN ANZ.
Practical Demonstrations: (1) Large animal equipment (2) Stropping and skidding techniques (3) Lifting techniques and equipment.
Presenters: Jim Green BARTA, David King New South Wales State Emergency Service (NSW SES) Vice Chair, AEIMN ANZ, P atrice Palleson-Putt MU VERT & AEIMN ANZ, Dr Steve de Grey Senior Practicing Veterinarian, Massey University, MU VERT
Board member, AEIMN ANZ

Day One Wrap Up & Close: Josh Slater

Social event (Pay-as-you-go)- local eatery to be advised on arrival to the event.

Day Two Saturday 10th May 2025 8.30 am - 5 pm

Morning Session: Animals in Disasters: Current and Future State.

Welcome Josh Slater
Plenary: Disasters: current state and future reality of the NZ context for humans and animals
Dr Hayley Squance BML Veterinary Consulting
Shaky volcanic isles: Disaster modelling in NZ
Professor Jonathon Proctor Professor of Natural Hazards Massey University
Panel Discussion: Disasters – What Will It Look Like When the Big One Hits?
Chair: Gina Kemp MPI
Panelists Robert Leach Program Manager Animal Rescue International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Leanne Fecser Operations and Education Manager, NZ Veterinary Assoc.(NZVA), David Lloyd – General Manager, NZ Companion Animal Register, Companion Animals New Zealand (CANZ), Dr Wayne Ricketts Senior Advisor Animal Welfare Emergency Management – Nelson Tasman, Marlborough, West Coast, Kaikoura, Taranaki (MPI).

Empowering Community and Volunteer Groups David King – NSW SES, Vice-Chair AEIMN ANZ
Integration of Wildlife Response into Emergency Management Robert Leach – IFAW
Preparation and Resilience for Lifestyle Block Owners Hayley Squance – Emergency Management Specialist

Afternoon Session: Emergency Response at Racing and Equestrian Events Workshop

Plenary: Experiences from the Paris Equestrian Olympic Games 2024 Jim Green
Presentation title (TBA) Dr Peter Gillespie, New Zealand Horse Ambulance Trust
Discussion: High-Risk Intervention Tactics – When, Where, How, Why, Pros and Cons
Practical Demos: (1) Horse entrapment in fence (2) Horse trapped in an inaccessible place (3) Jockey trapped with horse

Jim Green BARTA, David King NSW SES, Patrice Palleson-Putt & Dr Steve de Grey MU VERT.

Conference close Josh Slater

Jim Green

BARTA Director of Operations

Animal Rescue Specialist, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service

In 1996 Jim joined Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service where his background became a key factor in developing awareness of a range of rural issues, including response to animal rescues, agricultural fires and wildfire. Alongside responding to local incidents and orchestrating animal rescue teams within Hampshire, Jim led a national drive to improve knowledge and skills, training team leaders and veterinarians throughout the UK. He was instrumental in driving the adoption of standardised methodology and team roles through the National Fire Chiefs Council, Animal Rescue Practitioners Forum. In 2017 Jim worked at the University of California School of Veterinary Medicine, helping promote joint understanding within veterinary and fire fighting communities in preparation for the needs of animals during emergencies and disasters. Jim co-founded BARTA in 2012 with Prof Josh Slater and in 2019 left his full time fire service career to become BARTA Director of Operations.

He is recipient of national awards for his work through the RSPCA, National Equine Forum, British Equine Veterinary Association and the British Horse Society. He supported the vet services team at the 2012 Olympics and led on the equine response component of the 2024 Paris Olympics. He has been instrumental in the implementation of incident management protocols within British horseracing and UK military veterinary and mounted regiments. Jim has been keynote speaker or coordinator of conferences in the UK, North America, Middle East, Australasia and Europe. Through the International Community of Practice (InCOP) for Incidents Involving Animals, Jim seeks to collaborate with partners internationally to support global standards for preparedness and response to incidents involving animals.

Presenters & links to online bios