A vet in northern New South Wales says "blatant animal cruelty" is ongoing across the region, blaming a slow response by agricultural authorities for hundreds of animals being left to suffer and starve.
WARNING: This story contains content that readers may find distressing.
In the past week, Lismore-based large animal vet Bruno Ros has borrowed boats and received help from private helicopter companies to reach stranded animals.
He said he and other vets worked tirelessly to rescue the horses and cattle they could, and feed those they could find.
"I was focused on emergency euthanasia and fodder dropping, there were so many animals we couldn't get to," he said.
He said hundreds of cattle were still stranded and suffering.
Dr Ros said he was furious about the "pathetic" response by local and state agricultural authorities.
"It has been the most dysfunctional co-ordination. They were slow to come in, they haven't provided the resources they could have got hold of."
Dr Ros said he had been trying to reach people in charge for days about the crisis but had got no response.
"Animals have been left stranded, starving. I suspect animals that could have been saved by a hay drop have died and animals that should have been euthanised sooner have been missed," he said.
"Unfortunately, so many animals have been lost. The horses and cattle left have severe injuries, the horses have major leg lacerations and infections, many have pneumonia.
"It's the same with the cattle they've got sore feet. They're exhausted."
The NSW government has established a hotline (1800 814 647) to alert authorities to stranded, injured or perished livestock.
Dr Ros has called on local and state authorities to contact him, so he and other vets can help lead them to the animals in need.
"Nobody wants to come down there and talk because they don't want to be held accountable," he said.
"It's absolute garbage that you can call a 1800 number and cattle will be fed.
"No-one knows where these animals are, farmers haven't returned to the paddocks. How will they be fed?"
'This is what happens in a flood'
New South Wales Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders said authorities had done everything they could to reach animals stranded across the region.
"Since Thursday, when we could have choppers in the air safely, we have delivered fodder," he said.
"There have been surveillance flights to find animals in need too."
He denied authorities had been slow to respond.
"This is a disaster beyond everything we've ever seen before so to expect to know where all the animals are is a bit unreasonable."
He said the hotline was crucial for authorities to co-ordinate efforts with locals who need help.
Mr Saunders said authorities had removed 650 dead animals from properties already and the toll was expected to increase.
