Animal disease specialist, Dr Mark Cozens will be the new lead for Australia’s Veterinary Emergency Plan (AUSVETPLAN), who started this month at Animal Health Australia, as the Head of Program.

Dr Cozens is a senior veterinarian with experience in both government and private sectors, and has worked overseas on responses such as foot-and-mouth disease and anthrax, and in Australia on responses to Newcastle disease, equine influenza, Hendra virus and white spot disease.

Kathleen Plowman, CEO of Animal Health Australia welcomes Dr Cozens to the organisation and has no doubt he has the expertise to hit our goal of ensuring AHA’s members are prepared and ready to respond in the event of an emergency disease outbreak.

“The AUSVETPLAN is Australia’s game plan to an agreed approach around how we combat emergency animal diseases and Mark will play a lead role, alongside his team, to work closely with government and industry representatives to enhance response readiness for all our members,” Ms Plowman said.

Dr Cozens takes on the role from Dr Peter Dagg and looks forward to continuing to bring the AUSVETPLAN into a new era and ensuring it remains fit for purpose.

“I’ve worked in the emergency animal disease preparedness and response area for many years, in multiple countries and jurisdictions across Australia, and am excited to do my part in bringing government and animal industries together and reach consensus on very important emergency animal disease policy issues.

“With diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease posing significant threats to Australian animal industries and governments, it is important we have strategies that are contemporary, that the policy is informed on the best available science and that government-industry agreed approaches to manage emergency animal diseases are clearly articulated and able to be rolled out effectively,” Dr Cozens said.

Animal Health Australia currently manages 66 AUSVETPLAN documents including more than 30 disease specific plans – these can all be found here – Informing EAD Responses – AUSVETPLAN – Animal Health Australia.