After a hiatus in 2020, the Kentucky Horse Council’s Large Animal Emergency Rescue (LAER) training is slated to return in the fall of 2021. The three-day training will take place at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington on September 10-12.

LAER is taught by Justin and Tori McLeod of 4Hooves Large Animal Services, LLC, a North Carolina-based company that specialized in large animal technical rescue emergency response and training for emergency responders and veterinary professionals. The course is geared specifically toward veterinarians, emergency responders and animal control officers, but horse owners and industry professionals will also find the course beneficial in learning how to care for and extract equines in potentially hazardous situations while remaining safe.

The course will cover topics like animal behavior; handling and restraint; containment; motor vehicle accidents and overturned trailers; entrapments; barn fires and wildfires; unstable ground incidents (mud, ditch, ice, etc.); water rescues; natural disaster preparation and response; hazardous materials decontamination and more. Specialized instruction will be given to participants based on their background and auditors are welcome.

“The Large Animal Emergency Rescue training has proven to be a great learning experience for all veterinarians. Everyone from recent graduates to the most seasoned and tenured can expect to walk away with an increased knowledge base and practical situational preparedness and awareness,” says Dr. Rocky Mason, owner of Lexington Equine Medical Group and head of the Kentucky Horse Council Health and Welfare committee. “LAER has also served as a great format for interaction among varying first responders and agencies for a more seamless response in times of need and disaster.”

“This is an excellent opportunity for veterinarians, volunteers and first responders to receive in-depth, technical training on situations that may involve animals with which they are unfamiliar,” says KHC executive director Sarah Coleman. “Justin and Tori have an incredibly knack for teaching veterinarians, emergency responders and equine enthusiasts how to work together for favorable outcomes while keeping everyone safe.”

Continuing education credits for veterinarians have been applied for through the American Association of Veterinary State Boards. Sponsorship opportunities are available here.

For more information, click here or contact the Kentucky Horse Council at 859-367-0509 or info@kentuckyhorse.org

To learn more about 4Hooves Large Animal Services at 4hoovessmart.com.