Lexington, KY (October 30, 2019) - The Kentucky Horse Council (KHC), dedicated to the protection of the equine industry in Kentucky, hosted its annual Large Animal Emergency Rescue Training, September 20-22, 2019 at the Kentucky Horse Park. The 2019 LAER Training was presented by the US Equestrian Disaster Relief Fund.

Offered to all Kentucky-based first responders, veterinary professionals, animal control officers and the public at large, the training prepares attendees for a large-animal emergency rescue situation, focusing on keeping humans and animals as safe as possible during the event. Offered yearly, the course focuses on the facilitation of open conversation between veterinarians, firemen, and police, showing each how to better assist the other when responding to emergency situations where large animals are involved. The three-day training has hands-on and classroom learning opportunities. Scenarios that are discussed include entrapments, barn fires, trailer accidents on the roadway, water rescues, natural disaster preparation and response, and riding accidents, among others.

In 2019, in the largest training to date, 65 people attended the training taught by Tori and Justin McLeod of 4Hooves Large Animal Service LLC. With 40 hands-on participants, including 30 firemen, and 25 auditors, it was a large and very engaged group of students.

Allison Haspel, D.V.M., with Lexington Equine Medical Group, was one of the veterinarians participating in the training. "I was thrilled to have participated in the Large Animal Emergency Rescue Training taught by 4Hooves Large Animal Services and hosted by the Kentucky Horse Council. This course was a combination of classroom discussion followed by hands-on group scenarios that required people from a variety of backgrounds (veterinarians, firemen/first responders, and horse owners) to work together towards one cause - rescuing the horse while keeping each other safe. This high-quality course was extremely beneficial in expanding not only our skills in emergency rescue, but I believe harvested a true appreciation among the participating parties. I look forward to using these skills and working with my new colleagues in future large animal rescues cases. The Kentucky Horse Council has been extremely instrumental in bringing educational opportunities to the veterinarians of Kentucky and we, the Lexington Equine Medical Group, are excited to continue our partnership in support of such advantageous occasions."

"We continue to hear of an increase in large animal rescue calls across the Commonwealth and a need for this training from first responders," says Katy Ross, Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Council. "It's critical that we have first responders and veterinarians who are properly trained in how to deal with these situations, not only to protect and save the animals' lives, but to protect the humans dealing with them as well. We were thrilled to have such a large group of participants this year, including a great representation of the Fayette, Clark and Madison County Fire Departments."

Dates for the 2020 Large Animal Emergency Rescue Training will be announced soon.

Want to learn more about the Large Animal Emergency Rescue Training? Click here.  https://kentuckyhorse.org/Large-Animal-Emergency-Rescue.   Thank you to our 2019 sponsors: US Equestrian Disaster Relief Fund, Lexington Equine Medical Group, Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Zoetis and the Kentucky Horse Park.