India: Emergency Veterinary Camps Deployed in Assam as Flood Relief Reaches Thousands of Animals

Massive Veterinary Relief Effort Underway After Devastating Floods in Assam

Emergency veterinary teams have launched large-scale field operations across flood-affected districts of Assam following one of the region’s most severe flooding events, which has impacted more than 880,000 livestock and companion animals.

As floodwaters gradually recede, state veterinary departments, animal husbandry officials and animal welfare organisations are working together to provide urgent medical care, disease prevention and emergency feeding support to thousands of affected animals.

The coordinated response aims to reduce animal deaths, prevent disease outbreaks and help farmers protect their livestock during the critical recovery period.

More Than 10,000 Animals Already Receiving Emergency Treatment

Mobile veterinary camps have been established in some of the worst-affected areas, where veterinarians and para-veterinary teams are treating more than 10,000 injured, sick and traumatised animals.

Many rescued animals have suffered injuries caused by flood debris, prolonged exposure to contaminated water and exhaustion after days of displacement.

Veterinary teams are providing immediate treatment for:

• Wounds and soft tissue injuries

• Foot infections caused by prolonged standing in water

• Skin diseases and bacterial infections

• Dehydration and weakness

• Stress-related health complications

• Nutritional deficiencies following feed shortages

Companion animals, including dogs and cats rescued from flooded communities, are also receiving medical attention alongside cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep and other livestock.

Preventing Disease Outbreaks Is a Top Priority

Flood conditions create an ideal environment for infectious diseases to spread rapidly among livestock. Standing water, contaminated grazing areas and overcrowded temporary shelters significantly increase the risk of bacterial and parasitic infections.

Veterinary teams are therefore focusing not only on treatment but also on disease prevention through:

• Antibiotic therapy where clinically indicated

• Wound cleaning and dressing

• Hoof care for water-related infections

• Health monitoring of vulnerable animals

• Farmer education on post-flood animal care

Early intervention is considered essential to prevent secondary infections that can lead to significant livestock losses during recovery.

Emergency Fodder Distribution Supports Livestock Survival

One of the biggest challenges following floods is the shortage of safe animal feed. Large areas of grazing land remain submerged or contaminated with floodwater, while stored fodder has been damaged or washed away.

To address this problem, emergency teams are distributing fodder and feed supplies to affected farming communities. Providing adequate nutrition is critical because weakened animals are more susceptible to disease, reduced milk production, poor reproductive performance and higher mortality.

For many rural households, protecting livestock also means protecting livelihoods, as cattle, buffaloes, goats and poultry provide essential income, milk, meat and draft power.

Livestock Are Central to Rural Recovery

Assam’s livestock sector plays an important role in household food security and rural income generation.

Flood-related animal losses can have long-lasting economic consequences, particularly for smallholder farmers who depend on a limited number of animals. Rapid veterinary intervention helps minimise these losses by:

• Reducing preventable animal deaths

• Preserving milk production

• Supporting animal welfare

• Protecting breeding animals

• Preventing the spread of infectious diseases

• Accelerating recovery of farming communities

Experts emphasise that disaster management plans must increasingly integrate veterinary services alongside human emergency response.

Coordinated Response Highlights the Importance of Veterinary Disaster Preparedness

The current flood response demonstrates the value of coordinated action involving state veterinary services, animal husbandry departments, local authorities and animal welfare organisations.

Mobile veterinary clinics enable healthcare teams to reach isolated villages where transport infrastructure has been damaged, ensuring that essential treatment reaches animals that would otherwise remain without care.

Such disaster-response models are becoming increasingly important as climate-related extreme weather events place growing pressure on livestock production systems across India.

Looking Ahead

Although water levels are beginning to fall in many affected areas, veterinary authorities warn that the recovery phase will continue for several weeks. Ongoing surveillance for infectious diseases, continued medical treatment, nutritional support and vaccination programmes will remain essential to safeguard animal health and reduce further losses.

The emergency veterinary operations currently underway in Assam underscore the critical role veterinarians play—not only in protecting animal welfare but also in preserving food security, farmer livelihoods and the resilience of rural communities during natural disasters.

Source: State veterinary authorities, emergency animal health response teams and participating animal welfare organisations.