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Australian Veterinary Reserve (AVR)
The establishment of the Australian Veterinary Reserve (AVR) is one of the major recommendations of the Review of Rural Veterinary Services and a significant milestone in realising the potential of our national veterinary resource.
Launched at the Australian Veterinary Association Conference in May 2004, the AVR involves 100 non-government veterinarians in government programs, initially by providing paid training in national emergency animal disease preparedness.
The program, open to all non-government vets, complements existing government resources, develops business diversity for rural practitioners and provides opportunities for better integration of veterinary services.
Selection for the AVR
All AVR members are required to have undertaken the Accreditation Program for Australian Veterinarians provided through Animal Health Australia.
AVR Training
Members of the AVR undertake two separate training courses. The first course includes a one day equivalent CD Rom based program and a three day face-to-face workshop. The course trains AVR members to operate as Field Surveillance Veterinarians during an emergency disease outbreak.
The second course is a two day face-to-face workshop which focuses on developing AVR members' skills to work as surveillance/tracing officers in Local Disease Control Centres during an outbreak.
An AVR Maintenance and Development Program has been established to maintain AVR members' skills and AVR capacity to respond an emergency animal disease incident. The program will continue to build a working relationship between government agencies and AVR members. The program involves participation in workshops or emergency animal disease exercises as well as self-assessment exercises. Training for replacement AVR members is an additional component of the program.
AVR Media Releases
- Former Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
27 June 2005
New AVR vets will strengthen frontline disease defence - Media release by former Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Former Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
25 November 2004
Aussie vets answer the call - Media release by former Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Contact Us
For further general information about the AVR contact Animal Health Secretariat
For further information about AVR training please email trainingsupport@animalhealthaustralia.com.au