Private veterinarians in emergency animal disease outbreaks

Dr Kirsty Richards

Kirsty represented the pork industry in technical and liaison roles during the 2022 JE response.

Vets like Kirsty have skills, knowledge and professional relationships with producers, processors, transporters and others in the supply chain who may be affected by a disease outbreak.

An EAD response can be a time of great uncertainty and distress for livestock owners and managers. Having trusted, independent, operationally sound, technically competent industry expertise contributing to the response goes a long way to supporting them. It also helps ensure best response outcomes and fosters confidence in the response.

Kirsty was a pork industry representative on the National Vector Management Group that was established as part of the response. This was a government-industry collaboration that included mosquito, pig and chemical experts. Kirsty provided important pig industry context. Its members worked together to develop Australia’s first Integrated Mosquito Management Principles for Piggeries.

Kirsty also worked directly with owners of infected properties, helping collect samples for surveillance and provide guidance on managing the disease.