Veterinary Services Now Largely Operational in Christchurch

A survey of veterinary clinics by the NZ Veterinary Association has found that the majority are now operational.

In the west of the city most practices have sustained minimal damage and were able to return to full operations very quickly. However in the eastern suburbs many clinics lost power, and water, were contaminated with silt and some sustained structural damage. These clinics are progressively returning to normal operations as the services come back on stream. However a small number of these clinics have been badly damaged and these will take much longer to recover. Three clinics are closed and are diverting their clients elsewhere for the meantime,

NZVA President, Richard Wild has called on 21 clinics in the most affected areas and says he is proud of the resilience of the veterinary profession – both vets and veterinary nurses. “We have also had many offers of assistance from our colleagues throughout New Zealand ranging from relief veterinarians and veterinary nurses to accommodation.

“There are some pretty tough tales out there. One vet was operating when the earthquake hit, and the operating table went out through the wall. Somehow she managed to extricate the patient and complete the procedure,” he said.

Another clinic is severely damaged with the concrete floor cracked and lifted and had two feet of silt through the surgical area.

“Dark humour is one way of coping. The vet nurse commented to me that she was likely to get a written warning for her poor hygiene standards. At another clinic the vet had no power or water but was operating two hours per day to provide services to residents free of charge. He told me the area has been good to him over the years, and now it is his turn to reciprocate that support.

“I was very impressed by the focus on getting clinics back up and running as quickly as possible to help support their clients and their community in a time of crisis. They are very aware of the huge stress on many people who were now unemployed as a result of the quake.

“The level of damage is hugely variable across the city. Most clinics seem to have lost essential services initially, but the majority have managed to get back into operation, albeit in temporary or patched accommodation,” Richard Wild commented.

Richard Wild said that vets, like many Christchurch residents are still operating on adrenaline. “My observation from the September quake is that once this burns out after a couple of weeks people start to get very tired and stressed and need support to keep going”.

The after-hours clinic in Disraeli Street, Addington was closed, but has now reopened.

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