Erica Honey Consulting

03/07/2026

New guidelines:

Released on 02 July 2026 by Australia's Animal Health Committee, the National H5 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) Guidelines for Veterinarians have been developed to help private veterinarians:
• Minimise the risk of H5 HPAI entering veterinary premises
• Reduce the likelihood of onward transmission
• Manage suspected or confirmed cases

The guidelines are now available on the AVA's HPAI resource page, alongside the latest information and resources to support veterinary preparedness.

More information here: https://bit.ly/4p0rXb3
For the latest information and updates on Avian Influenza, visit: https://bit.ly/4p2l2yd

30/06/2026

For emergency updates: always go to the official source.

I have seen a few Bird Flu (HPAI) posts on social media from well meaning businesses stating ‘follow us for more updates’. Please don't.

Whilst emergency preparedness is to be endorsed, encouraged and supported, updates should come from the correct source. This reduces misinformation, panic and worry in a BANI ( Brittle, anxious, non-linear, and incomprehensible) world. Please use discernment when viewing social media.

The comprehensive approach to Bird Flu involves multiple management agencies- which can make it slightly confusing as to where to get up to date information from. The ‘Hazard management agency’ is the key term.

Nationally:
The Hazard Management Agency (HMA) for Biosecurity/ Emergency Animal Disease is DAFF: birdflu.gov.au.
This is the primary source.

The Centre for Disease Control addresses the human health nationally.
https://lnkd.in/dCvvE94R

At the State and Territory levels, it's the Departments of Agriculture for animal disease (with their respective names).

For example in WA, DPIRD
https://lnkd.in/dnT3XKGU

For human health, is the Department of Health (at the State/ Territory level):
E.g. in WA
https://lnkd.in/dCNKwCzC

Please direct clients and stakeholders to the official source. It's the source of truth.

Start with DAFF as the HMA
birdflu.gov.au

Bird flu (Avian influenza)

29/06/2026

It sounds simple doesn't it? It's helpful to remember as leaders, our role is to maintain a people focus and let our people maintain a patient focus.
It's our focus on the people that enables great patient care.

🐝

24/06/2026

*Updated 3 July with more veterinary resources

HPAI Resources:
Here are some of the HPAI resources available for veterinary practices:
If you have an all hazard Veterinary Emergency Plan, biosecurity is an important component, and a section on HPAI specifics can be added in the appendix. There’s no one way to plan, if you want help to make a start or organise the information, please feel welcome to get in contact, I’m happy to chat.

Training: look at EAD courses (free) on Animal Health Australia: https://www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au/

HPAI Field Officer training manuals, presentation slides, and specific clinical procedure videos: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/avian-influenza

AVA resources: https://www.ava.com.au/

Guidelines for veterinarians:
https://cdn-au.mailsnd.com/36187/gHkj7qKnh-5d39l-T-uqYBgMgUDKsyM1WGDnp_SNhJo/1783040010/3419587.pdf

DAFF advice for veterinarians: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/avian-influenza/help-protect/vets

Reading material:
Bird Flu (Gov) useful for clients: https://www.health.gov.au/diseases/avian-influenza-bird-flu
Wildlife Health Australia: https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/index.htm
WA:

See the email / recording from the Vet Practice Board
WEBINAR ON H5 AVIAN INFLUENZA (H5 BIRD FLU):
‘WA veterinarians and veterinary nurses are invited to join a Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) webinar for an update on H5 avian influenza from WA Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Michelle Rodan and Senior Medical Advisor, Communicable Disease Control Directorate, Dr Paul Effler’.
If you have found any other materials or courses please feel welcome to share them.
Emergency culture grows when we take steps everyday to socialise the information and make it part of something we do routinely. It also reduces the resistance and fatigue associated with change.
Print the materials for easy reference and to grow awareness, allow training in work hours and meet with colleagues for community readiness.
These infographics are courtesy of the Australian Veterinary Association and Aus. Government.

24/06/2026

When we are under pressure, we go to what we know, it’s how we are wired.
Make it easy on you and your team.
Make the plan part of everyday life.

🐝

15/06/2026

🐝

25/05/2026

Recently, I returned from two weeks in Vanuatu, Port Vila and Santo Islands, with Vets Beyond Borders (VBB), where we workshopped Veterinary Disaster Management sessions with 20 passionate and dedicated Ni-Vanuatu paravets and officers from animal health, livestock, and biosecurity departments.

We focused on veterinary disaster planning exercises with a systems view, looking at One Welfare, disaster risk reduction, and the Sustainable Development Goals. On the second workshop day, we also addressed veterinary triage and treatment, and critical skills such as crisis leadership, teamwork, and cultural intelligence. These skills are crucial when working in disasters and with international teams in cluster systems. The key theme of the sessions was "locally led," and I loved seeing the solutions the groups devised. From here, the teams can continue to develop their veterinary disaster prevention and preparedness, contributing to deeper community resilience.

Whilst we were there, I also experienced my first 4.2 magnitude earthquake from Port Vila, which we felt in Santo, and it became a good example and part of our discussions the next day. I was glad I had revised my travel disaster response plan—just in case!

The workshops were part of a larger initiative to assist biosecurity and also focused on parasitology sessions.

My appreciation to Anne Lloyd-Jones from Vets Beyond Borders and the Vanuatu travel team, VBB Chair Professor Nick Sangster, and Dr Nichola Calvani.

Thank you to the Vanuatu Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry & Biosecurity and Dr Michael Baur for having us. What a beautiful country and culture!

14/11/2025

A new book on Human Animal Interactions in crises and other disasters.

I am pleased to introduce my chapter
‘The Rise of Animal Emergency Management in Australia’. It has a veterinary theme and also explores the crucial role of Veterinary Professionals and One Welfare Social Workers (Veterinary Social Workers) in disasters. The chapter concludes with a list of recommendations underpinned by a disaster risk reduction and systems approach to resilience.

The changes we have seen in Animal Emergency Management in Australia are built on the work of many people and their organisations, they are the changemakers. We still have a long way to go, because it involves many stakeholders, systems and cultural change, but we are on the right track. A special mention to Drs Mel Taylor, Rachel Westcott, Kirrilly Thompson, Joshua Trigg, Hayley Squance PhD (EM) for your work and many, many more.

The chapter writing process was a good learning curve and a test of my growth mindset. I was happy to finally write more about my previous veterinary disaster and animal emergency planning research from 2011 and 2014. Thank you to Drs Teresa Collins and Steve Glassey, PhD GCTAE CEM FInSTR for your help in the honours and masters degrees. The chapter probably wouldn't have have happened without the skill sets you’ve taught me. I know its just a chapter but it's a goal I've completed.

A heartfelt thank you to the team especially Drs Haorui Wu, Kyle Breen, Sarah De Young, and the anonymous reviewers for the invaluable feedback and guidance. You know your stuff!

Yes there are many thank you’s because it takes a village and teamwork 💛

Congratulations 🎉 to all the authors.











Institute for Disaster Resilience
Sturt University
University
Macmillan

03/11/2025

For your clients:
Print the infographic from my website and put a poster up! Help your clients to get ready for emergencies and disasters.

They can get ready in three steps
1. Plan
2. Get your kits ready. They can use what they have at home. Sometimes they may need help with crates for small animals.
3. Practice.

Emergencies and disasters have ripple effects. Our level of preparedness impacts each other and our community’s resilience. This is why it’s so important to get ready together.

Link in Bio.

You’re welcome to use this infographic in your social media too! Just dm me and I’ll send it to you.

Need anything else? Let me know!

🐝
workshop

29/10/2025

Today we completed our third year of the Veterinary Disaster Exercise (tutorial) for the Vet101 unit at Murdoch University in the beautiful Boola Katitjin.

The veterinary and animal science students chose to focus on the role of a rural veterinary hospital as we navigated seven events during a bushfire.
We used examples of what other stakeholders were experiencing to grow situational awareness and respond and recover together.

This was the first time I'd met this group in person and they did really well after one animal emergency management lesson! Asking lots of questions and bouncing ideas.

At the end, we identified ‘lessons learned’ and they noted how important prevention strategies are. We tied in environmental sustainability themes. Taking a systems approach for disaster risk reduction for animals, people and the environment is essential for our resilience.

In two weeks, they'll complete their exams, answering a few questions on animals and disasters! Thank you to Dr Pete Irons and the team for supporting and including AEM in the veterinary curriculum. It's crucial for our veterinary sector and helps to grow our emergency preparedness culture!