2014 County Animal Response Team

About the Program

Category: Risk and Emergency Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

The Cape May County Office of Emergency Management created the County Animal Response Team comprised of volunteers including emergency responders, animal care providers, animal control representatives, shelter personnel, and county residents who love and care for animals. The CART was formed to assist pet owners in a disaster or weather emergency by teaming up with county emergency management officials to provide shelter and care. Our country learned through Katrina and Sandy that pet owners will not evacuate their homes during a major storm event unless they can take their pets with them, and care for them. Cape May County has embraced this fact and created the CART to have the basic capability of providing shelter for approximately 250 domestic animals during the next evacuation. To compliment this volunteer effort, the county has purchased emergency evacuation trailers for pets. The trailers are located adjacent to the traditional shelters for humans so pets and their owners can be reunited, and the owners can care for their pets during a storm. The CART holds quarterly meetings where we share ideas and provide safety-based training to our volunteers. Evacuations from a storm or another event can happen at a moment's notice; Cape May County is now fully prepared to assist pet owners with the next evacuation.