Reserve Vet Corps Information

This program is designed for veterinarians, veterinary technicians and other animal health professionals. Non-animal related skills are also sought, such as foreign language proficiency, first responder/law enforcement experience, as well as public health or military experience.Members will have access to free and interesting continuing education opportunities. RVC member skills benefit not only the state, but also local communities. RVC members may be asked to participate as credentialed responders during a state animal health emergency.

Members may assist with animal care and treatment, evacuation, vaccination, specimen collection, decontamination, euthanasia, necropsy, collection of epidemiological information, as well as public education and outreach. 

When deployed or at RVC sponsored trainings or activities, Reserve Veterinary Corps members represent theWashington State Department of Agriculture. As such, members will need to sign and abide by a basic code of conduct.When deployed, members will be hired as temporary, intermittent WSDA employees. In the event of an animal health emergency, we hope members would be available to assist in the capacity as an RVC member. Participation is strictly voluntary and members may leave the program at any time. Other than the ICS requirement, no other formal training is mandatory.

The WSDA RVC program provides the training and credentials to veterinarians as well as other health professionals that are necessary to support the State of Washington in an animal and/or public health emergency response.

Per Diem and stipend support may be available for selective training opportunities. Training opportunities have included Foreign Animal Disease Response, Foreign Animal Disease-Practitioner training, Incident Command System, Hazardous Materials Awareness, tabletop exercises, and response scenarios.RVC members are required to complete Incident Command System training (ICS 100, 200, and NIMS 700) upon signing up for membership.

All state and federal responses are organized using ICS. The ICS allows responders to fully integrate into the response and it is critical that all RVC members understand how the system works and where they fit into any disaster deployment. Each course should take less than three hours to complete. This can be accomplished online by visiting the FEMA website.

The Mission of WSDA Reserve Veterinary Corps (RVC) is to assist the WSDA Animal Health Program in the event of a livestock or companion animal health emergency such as a Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) outbreak or a natural disaster.