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| This book may well save many, many lives. |
What happens to animals in emergency situations, for example, when a
natural disaster strikes? Could we do better to ensure that animal morbidity
and mortality is minimised? Can previous experience, traumatic as it may be, be
helpful in guiding us in the future?
Donelle Gadenne qualified as a
veterinary nurse in Perth, WA and worked at more than 23 veterinary practices
in Australia, as a locum at a surgical referral centre and a university-based
veterinary training hospital.
But then she switched careers. In 2011 she
graduated from Edith Cowan University with a BA in Writing, Editing and
International Cultural Studies. In 2013 Donelle relocated to Christchurch and is
about to complete an MA in English at the New Zealand Centre for Human–Animal
Studies at the University of Canterbury.
Her most recent major project is a book,
co-written with Annie Potts, Animals inEmergencies: Learning from the Christchurch Earthquakes, is published by
Canterbury University Press.
What
is your day-job and how did you come to be involved in this project?
I ‘retired’ from Veterinary
Nursing in 2012 when I moved to Christchurch to study full-time at the New
Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies. I also tutor in English at the
University of Canterbury.
You
began your career as a veterinary nurse. Can you tell us a bit about this and
how you moved into writing?
My love for animals and my
love of English (particularly literature) have been in competition most of my
life. I always dreamed of writing a novel one day and so reading novels was
naturally a joy for me.
After enrolling in a BA with
a focus of writing, I found myself always being drawn to essay topics that I
could mould to involve some focus on animals. I recall the first essay I wrote
at university was about captive animals in zoos. In this process, I became
aware of the then nascent academic field of Human-Animal Studies and knew this
is what I wanted to pursue. It was a perfect way to combine my interest in
animals and literature (as I now critique literary representations of
animals!).
Human-animal
studies is a burgeoning academic field, yet few people make the transition as
you did between the veterinary industry and the humanities. Do you think the
veterinary industry could benefit from more cross-pollination?
I have been told that it is
rare to find scholars who have backgrounds in both science and the humanities,
and so I guess in that regard I am a unicorn! I think cross-pollination is
becoming more common as we recognise the value of it. Certainly the
interdisciplinary nature of Human-Animal Studies indicates that valuable
insight into human-nonhuman animal relationships needs to draw inspiration and
knowledge from all areas.
Do
you have any non-human companions and can you tell us about them?
I live profoundly scarred by
the sudden loss of my canine companion, a long-haired Chihuahua named Bear, who
passed away in 2007 aged nine. In every possible way, he remains my inspiration
to this day. I was also blessed to have cared for two cats, Max and Harley, who
both passed away many years ago now leaving me saddened. I think and hope they
all lived wonderful lives.
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| Donelle and the late Bear. Gone but not forgotten. |
Were
you affected by the Christchurch quakes and if so, how?
I was one of many
Australians who sat in the comfort of our living rooms watching the horror of
the February 2011 earthquake unfold live on the news. I had no idea at the time
that I would soon move to study and live here. Upon discovering The New Zealand
Centre for Human-Animal Studies is in Christchurch, I was equally hesitant and
intrigued to come here. I do not regret the decision to move as Christchurch is
a special and inspirational place to be right now during the rebuild.
When
we read about natural disasters in the media we are trained to measure their
severity in the number of human fatalities. The truth is that many animals are
killed in such events. How many were killed in the Christchurch Earthquakes?
As a result of the September
4, 2010 earthquake more than 3000
chickens at a commercial poultry farm, eight cows, one dog, a lemur at Orana
Wildlife Park, and 150 tanked fish perished but these animals, of course, represent
the ones we know about. Water bird species such as the royal spoonbill suffered
from avian botulism as a consequence of the polluted waterways.
Ducks, river fish such as brown trout, the endemic
longfin eel, the city’s hedgehogs, the coastal dwelling seals, and all manner
of urban wildlife would have been killed as a direct result of the earthquakes
and relentless aftershocks.
To
what extent is what occurred in Christchurch a model for what may happen in
other situations?
It is our belief that the
principles of ensuring animal welfare in emergencies applies to all disasters,
natural and human-made. We learned valuable lessons from the US tragedy of Hurricane
Katrina and continue to learn lessons from the more recent tragedies such the
Adelaide Hills bushfires and the present situation in Queensland with the damaging
Cyclone Marcia.
There will always be disasters, for example, floods, droughts, fires,
tsunamis and snow storms and ensuring animal welfare should always be a
priority. We have a duty of care to the animals we invite to share in our lives
as well as to all those animals we confine in labs, zoos, and on industrial
factory farms. Preparing for the safe evacuation of animals and ensuring that
they are not simply left behind are necessities no matter what type of disaster
or where it happens.
Do
you have any tips for veterinarians, nurses, pet owners and others about
planning and preparing for disasters?
We include National emergency management expert Steve Glassey’s Guide
to protecting pets in the book, which includes:
- Take pets with you when you evacuate.
- Have a family emergency plan that includes all animals.
- Obtain or create a pet evacuation kit.
- Keep electronic images of companion animals online or USB in case they go missing.
- Ensure companion animals are de-sexed and micro-chipped before disaster strikes and maintain accurate registration records.
- Place an identification tag on each pet.
- By far the most important thing is to be prepared!
Of course, we provide comprehensive appendices and
link to access further information and resources in the book.
Thank
you Donelle for your time. You can view the book here.
