Our animal welfare emergency management team
MPI has a dedicated animal welfare emergency management team. It's available around-the-clock to support the response to any emergency in New Zealand that may have an animal welfare impact. The team's responsibilities are to:
- coordinate animal welfare services in emergencies (like earthquakes and floods)
- ensure planning is in place
- maintain the Government’s reporting and advisory capability on animal welfare in an emergency.
This means when there is an emergency, MPI will help coordinate the provision of the needs of animals when their owners (or people in charge) can’t.
This work is part of the National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan 2015 (National CDEM plan).
Guide to the National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan 2015 – NEMA
We're helped by a number of animal welfare support agencies.
Find out more about support agencies
Planning and supporting is part of the work
Besides responding to emergencies, the team's other activities include working on:
- the national animal welfare emergency management strategic plan
- regional plans
- Memorandums of Understanding for support agencies
- the National Emergency Management Agency Regulatory Framework Review Programme (also known as the "Trifecta")
- development of regional animal welfare subgroups
- post-event reporting on responses.
Animal welfare emergency management strategic plan
The national animal welfare emergency management strategic plan outlines MPI’s vision, mission, and goals for preserving and protecting animals in emergencies. To achieve this, individuals, organisations, and communities must be supported to:
- manage risks and improve readiness
- respond in emergencies to protect animals
- help the animal welfare sector to recover post-event.
The plan also includes 12 key objectives, and an overview of what success looks like for each.
National AWEM strategic plan 2020–2030 [PDF, 3.6 MB]
Reports on emergency animal welfare responses
When MPI is involved in an adverse event, we reflect on how the response went. We look at things like:
- actions taken in the animal welfare response
- coordination with support agencies
- current response situation
- what went well
- how we can improve in future responses.
Who to contact
If you have questions about animal welfare emergency management:
- phone 0800 00 83 33
- email awem@mpi.govt.nz
