“Texas A&M’s Veterinary Emergency Team Secures $5 Million in State Funding — Boosting Disaster Response and Animal Care Across Texas”
The Texas A\&M Veterinary Emergency Team has long been a symbol of innovation, compassion, and readiness in times of crisis. With their mission centered on saving animal lives during disasters, they’ve provided critical services in some of the most challenging situations Texas has faced—whether natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, floods, or disease outbreaks that threaten both livestock and livelihoods. Now, the team’s extraordinary work is being recognized and further enabled by a \$5 million allocation from the state government, a monumental investment that underscores the growing understanding of just how vital their role has become in emergency preparedness and response efforts throughout Texas.
The \$5 million in funding is more than just a financial boost; it is a loud and clear vote of confidence from state leadership in the Veterinary Emergency Team’s capabilities, impact, and potential for growth. In a state as vast and disaster-prone as Texas, the need for a mobile, expertly trained team of veterinary professionals has become increasingly apparent. Animals are not just pets or sources of food in rural communities—they are part of the family, essential economic assets, and in many cases, the lifeblood of small towns and farming communities. During emergencies, these animals are often overlooked in broader disaster plans, leading to devastating losses both emotionally and financially. The Texas A\&M Veterinary Emergency Team fills that gap with precision, compassion, and state-of-the-art medical care.
Launched in 2009, the team has grown to become the largest and most sophisticated veterinary emergency response unit in the country. They have responded to some of the most significant disasters in recent Texas history, including Hurricanes Harvey and Laura, the Bastrop wildfires, and the Panhandle wildfires, among others. They have not only provided emergency care to thousands of animals during these crises but also helped communities recover by ensuring that their agricultural assets were protected and preserved. Their role extends beyond animals—they are an essential piece of the larger public health and emergency management puzzle. With this new funding, they will be even better equipped to play that role at an elevated level.
The allocation will allow the team to invest in several crucial areas. First, it enables the purchase of new mobile units and specialized equipment that can be deployed to remote and heavily impacted areas more efficiently. These units are designed to function as mobile veterinary hospitals, capable of providing surgical procedures, trauma care, disease diagnostics, and even housing for animals who are displaced or injured. These vehicles and the teams that operate them are often the first—and sometimes only—veterinary presence in a disaster zone. Being able to expand and update this fleet means more lives can be saved, and response times can be dramatically improved.
Second, the funding will allow for the expansion of training programs and collaborations. One of the key strengths of the Veterinary Emergency Team is its ability to work seamlessly with other agencies and volunteers. Training more veterinary students, first responders, and even local volunteers to deal with animal emergencies will build a stronger, more resilient disaster response network across Texas. Texas A\&M plans to use a portion of the funds to enhance its simulation training facilities and develop more comprehensive emergency response scenarios that prepare future veterinarians and responders for the real-world chaos they’ll encounter in the field.
The \$5 million investment also ensures more consistent staffing and operational readiness. Currently, many of the team’s members are university faculty who must balance teaching, research, and clinical duties with emergency deployments. With new funding, the team can hire full-time support personnel, logistics experts, and technical specialists who can maintain a state of readiness year-round. This is crucial, as disaster response is not only about showing up when something happens—it’s about being ready, equipped, and trained to respond before the worst unfolds. Building that infrastructure behind the scenes is what turns an excellent response team into an elite one.
The ripple effects of this funding are also expected to reach the broader veterinary and agricultural communities. Texas A\&M is renowned for its College of Veterinary Medicine, and this investment will bolster the institution’s status as a national leader in the field. Students training at Texas A\&M will have access to real-world emergency response experience, something few other veterinary schools can offer at this scale. These students will graduate with a deeper understanding of the human-animal bond in high-stakes situations and will carry that expertise into practices and communities across the country. In this way, the impact of the funding extends beyond Texas borders.
Moreover, the funding comes at a time when disasters are becoming more frequent and more intense. Climate change has exacerbated the severity of hurricanes, wildfires, and floods, and the threat of zoonotic diseases—those that can jump from animals to humans—has become a more pressing global issue. The COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that public health systems need to be integrated, flexible, and prepared to respond to biological threats, whether they originate in human populations or animal reservoirs. The Veterinary Emergency Team operates at this intersection of veterinary care, public safety, and emergency management, making them a critical asset in both day-to-day and large-scale crises.
The funding also aligns with broader state efforts to bolster emergency response infrastructure. Texas lawmakers have increasingly focused on ensuring that rural and underserved areas are not left behind during disaster response. These communities often have fewer local veterinary services and less access to emergency resources. With better funding, the Veterinary Emergency Team can ensure a more equitable distribution of services, reaching animals and communities that might otherwise be forgotten. This commitment to inclusivity and comprehensive care reflects the very best of public service and higher education working together for the common good.
For the people who make up the Texas A\&M Veterinary Emergency Team, the funding is both an acknowledgment of past efforts and a challenge to reach even greater heights. It is a mandate to grow, adapt, and innovate in service to both animals and the people who care for them. It is a recognition that in times of disaster, the needs of animals cannot be separated from the well-being of communities. Whether rescuing horses trapped in floodwaters, treating dogs injured in wildfires, or stabilizing livestock affected by disease outbreaks, the Veterinary Emergency Team embodies a commitment to care under pressure that few others can match.
There is also an emotional component to the team’s work that should not be overlooked. For many Texans, their animals are family. When disaster strikes, people are often faced with heartbreaking decisions about whether they can take their pets or livestock with them during evacuations. The Veterinary Emergency Team offers hope in these moments, ensuring that animals are not left behind, that they are treated with dignity, and that their health and safety are protected. In many cases, their presence is what allows people to reunite with their animals after the danger has passed. That kind of compassion, backed by professional expertise and logistical capability, is priceless.
As Texas looks ahead to future challenges, the \$5 million state investment in the Texas A\&M Veterinary Emergency Team is a powerful example of proactive governance. Rather than waiting for the next disaster to test the system, the state is strengthening the foundation now—investing in preparedness, training, infrastructure, and people. It’s a model that other states and institutions would do well to follow. Emergency response, especially when it comes to animal welfare, requires foresight, dedication, and an understanding of the intricate ways in which communities are connected to their animals. This funding is a testament to that understanding.
The road ahead for the Texas A\&M Veterinary Emergency Team is now paved with more resources, better equipment, and broader reach. With this new support, they will be able to continue their lifesaving work at an even higher level, touching more lives—both human and animal—with each deployment. The state’s investment is not just in a team or a university program; it’s an investment in resilience, in compassion, and in the future safety and well-being of all Texans. And as history has shown, when disaster strikes, few teams are more ready, more capable, or more committed than the Texas A\&M Veterinary Emergency Team.
