Flooding in the upper North Island

1 February 2023

Our Update on Monday included a statement on the current flooding, which said:

As a reminder, professional obligations, including those in the Code of Professional Conduct, come second to personal health and safety. If you or your clinic are unable to meet requirements, such as emergency service provision, due to the flooding, that is understandable. We trust that veterinarians will work together to provide what services they can during this emergency.

While we hope that the worst of the flooding has passed, we know that the recovery will take time and that veterinarians and veterinary businesses may continue to be affected in the weeks ahead. If you are affected by the floods and have questions about service provision or professional standards, or if you need other assistance, please feel contact us.

Today, we published a statement on the use of veterinary remote medicine (telemedicine) to authorise veterinary medicines during emergencies and significant disruptive events like the current one. If you or your practice are unable to have a consultation with some clients due to the flooding, it is acceptable to use remote medicine to ensure their animals get the care they need, provided you follow the requirements of this statement.

Click here to download the PDF statement.

We will continue to monitor the situation but, if you need assistance or guidance, please contact us. We will do our best to help and to share useful information with the profession as the situation develops.