More than 50 staff, registered veterinary technicians, clinicians, interns, and residents from the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College’s (OVC) participated in a half-day Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER) course with Rebecca Gimenez, PhD, in early June. The course focused on the safe transfer and handling of large animals in emergency situations.

“She shared some great knowledge and experience with us that will help us provide more efficient and safer patient care—not only safer for the patient but also safer for our employees,” said Amy Richardson, RVT, supervisor of patient care and service delivery in OVC’s Health Sciences Center (HSC).

Gimenez customized her TLAER course offering for the OVC session, providing hands-on opportunities with equine models using a variety of large animal techniques, tactics, and procedures to safely move and handle animals. Participants practiced assembling halters from ropes and straps, learned to use a sideways drag and roll to position a horse onto a glide, and worked as a team to set up an Anderson sling in the Large Animal Hospital. Anderson slings can be used in multiple scenarios to lift a large animal or to elevate an injured animal and relieve pressure on its limbs.

Participants also learned how to respond in emergency scenarios, such as rescuing an injured horse model from a trailer. The team first stabilized the patient and then working together to safely move the animal out of the trailer using a glide