Veterinary Emergency Team

Leading the way in disaster education and response

Texas A&M University maintains the premier Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) in the country, deploying to 29 disasters to provide vet care for canine search teams, treat companion animals and livestock, and surveil zoonotic diseases.

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Members of the Texas A&M University Veterinary Emergency Team sit in the floor of their mobile clinic while bandaging the paw of a search and rescue dog.

Overview

Texas A&M University maintains the premier Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) in the country, which has worked with local jurisdictions throughout Texas to develop animal-focused emergency plans. The Texas A&M VET has deployed to 28 disasters throughout Texas and the country. The VET deploys with Urban Search and Rescue Teams to provide veterinary care for canine search teams, the treatment of companion animals and livestock, and the surveillance of zoonotic diseases. The team assists state and local governments as well as non-profits with recovery efforts as they relate to veterinary care.

Challenge

Community leaders, including veterinarians, are increasingly called upon to prepare for and respond to natural and manmade disasters, straining local resources. Oftentimes, community leaders lack the time or expertise to develop disaster plans that include comprehensive, veterinary first-response best practices.

Request

$8 million would support the creation of a network of VETs throughout the country (Texas, California, and Florida) to support FEMA’s response and recovery efforts with veterinary-specific planning and coordination, training, response, and recovery efforts.

"The investment in veterinary emergency teams will provide the education and equipment resources necessary to build a system of mission-ready veterinary responders across the country available to support the many thousands of people and animals impacted by disasters each year. These teams will not only be the catalyst for the development and training of veterinarians in disaster response for impacted resident animals, but also the development of specialized in-field medical care and mission support skills required to sustain search and rescue canines deployed into devastated communities in their region."

- Dr. Debra Zoran, Director of the VET

Current and Future Impacts

Educating Future Veterinarians

The VET helps educate future veterinarians, who are more likely to serve in a community affected by a disaster than generations before them. In 2024-2025, the VET rotation was over capacity with 148 students applying for only 144 spots.

Caring for Injured/Ill Animals

When deployed to a disaster, VET members work with local jurisdictions to provide veterinary medical support for animals affected by disasters.

Caring for Search and Rescue Canines in Disasters

The VET delivers veterinary medical support for canine members of search and rescue teams, thereby providing hope, closure and recovery to families affected by disasters.

Supporting Disaster Planning

When not deployed, the team works with counties throughout Texas to establish animal-focused emergency plans.

Priority Details

Amount: $8 million
Fiscal Year: 2026
Type: Community Project Funding (CPF)
Funder: Federal Emergency Management Agency

How Aggie Vets Support Canine Heroes On The Front Lines

During a recent deployment to Kerr County, the Texas A&M University Veterinary Emergency Team provided specialized care for search and rescue dogs, essential members of emergency response teams.

Texas A&M University

Stories of Impact

Texas A&M VET Completes Mission In Central Texas Deployment

The Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) has returned to Bryan-College Station following a 23-day deployment caring for search and rescue dogs working along the Guadalupe River. During this time, the working dogs located all but two of the 160 people initially declared missing following July 4 flooding in the region.

Read More About the Central Texas Deployment

Dr. Debra Zoran poses with a dog inside the Veterinary Emergency Team mobile facility.

Caring For Canine Heroes

The Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) is working with Texas A&M Task Force 1 and other states’ Task Force 1 search and rescue dogs stationed in Comfort, Texas, following floods that hit central Texas on July 4.The impact these dogs make cannot be denied. But the work is incredibly dangerous — the nature of the job requires them to work in all environments and around many hazards.

Read More About the Search and Rescue dog efforts

A group of veterinarians with the Veterinarian Emergency Team (VET) uses a medical laser to treat muscle soreness and injury in a search and rescue dog while sitting on the floor of their mobile clinic.

Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team Deploys To Kerr Country In Response To Central Texas Flooding

As part of its ongoing efforts to keep search and rescue dogs healthy, safe and mission-ready, the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) has deployed to Kerr County in support of Texas A&M Task Forces and other regional partners.

Read More About the Response To Central Texas Flooding

A member of the Veterinary Emergency Team checks the eyes of a search and rescue dog inside their mobile clinic during the July 4 floods in Central Texas.

Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team Receives $5M In State Funding To Support Disaster Relief Efforts

With the investment by the Texas Legislature and Gov. Greg Abbott through Senate Bill 1, the VET can build a new foundation for its teaching, outreach and response programming. As the first and largest team of its kind in the country, the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) plays a critical role in supporting Texas A&M University’s disaster response efforts by ensuring animals impacted by disaster have a second chance at life and educating the next generation of veterinary responders.