Animal Emergencies

Our Role in Emergency Preparedness and Response

Clemson University Livestock-Poultry Health (CULPH) has multiple emergency preparedness and response roles within South Carolina that are defined by legal authority or mandated responsibilities. As the state animal health regulatory agency, CULPH assists in the prevention of animal diseases that threaten South Carolina’s livestock, poultry, and public health. There are numerous diseases of concern that only affect animals, but several are also considered zoonotic diseases (e.g. tuberculosis), which are diseases that can also affect people and may threaten public health.

During governor-declared emergencies, CULPH works collaboratively with other state agencies to implement and coordinate the South Carolina Emergency Operations Plan. The state’s Emergency Operations Plan encompasses a range of natural (e.g. hurricanes and pandemics) and technological/man-made (e.g. radiological accident) disaster incidents. CULPH leads and coordinates the state’s disaster response activities related to agriculture and animals (Emergency Support Function 17), which ensures coordination of statewide resources needed to support the citizens of South Carolina and protect the state’s agricultural assets.