AFAC Courses

Livestock Emergency Response Course

Know how to handle emergencies involving livestock
before accidents or disasters happen

Background & Benefits

Alberta’s Livestock Industry is substantial.

Alberta is Canada’s largest cattle producing province, plus home to 50% of the horses; 26% of the lambs; and 16% of the hogs. Alberta’s livestock industry also includes elk, bison, deer, llamas and ratites. Canada's two largest beef processing plants and its largest horse and lamb processing plants are located in Alberta.

Accidents involving livestock do happen.

Front line response and rescue teams often have little or no training on how to manage emergency situations involving livestock. This course has been set up in response to a need identified by local community emergency teams, the RCMP, livestock owners, processing facilities and humane societies.

The humane handling and well being of livestock is a priority.

AFAC promotes responsible livestock care within the livestock industry. AFAC offers
specific education and training programs related to animal handling and welfare.

The course will

• Provide truckers, emergency response personnel, fire fighters, RCMP and other peace officers with knowledge on how to handle livestock in emergency distress situations.
• Improve animal well being and enhance the safety of those involved.

The course covers

• On the spot decision making for motor vehicle accidents, fires and emergency
  situations involving livestock;
• Trailer design and extrication;
  
• Animal behavior (cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, elk, llamas, poultry), particularly in distress situations;
  
• Means to calm, rescue, capture and temporarily confine animals;
  
• Laws, ethics, euthanasia protocol;
  
• Developing a response team for your area.

Contact Jennifer for details on cost and booking of this interactive, customized course. Group rates for 15 or more participants apply.

About the presenter

Livestock Handling Specialist Jennifer Woods of Blackie, Alberta has an Animal Science degree from Colorado State University. Jennifer has extensive experience with cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, elk and bison.

Jennifer has been delivering the Livestock Emergency Response Course since 1998 in Canada and the United States. She has assisted fire departments at several livestock accidents and is certified in Technical Large Animal Rescue.

Jennifer works closely with AFAC and delivers the Good Livestock Handling Pays courses. She has certified Canadian universities for the Canadian Council on Animal Care and developed a livestock behavior and handling curriculum for colleges.

To book contact

“Excellent course and presenter. Located in a rural based farming community, this assists us by having better understanding of the actions of animals in emergency situations. This is the second time Jennifer has made this presentation to our staff. Super job!” - Firefighter, County of Newell

"Informative — Jennifer’s education and hands on experience creates a confidence in the facilitator that is unmatched." - Keith Horsburgh, Grace Cattle Carriers