Animal Contamination Team (ACT)

About the Program

Category: Risk and Emergency Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2009

This program is designed to provide Richland County, South Carolina with the capability to evaluate and decontaminate pets which have become contaminated with chemicals or other hazardous substances during a disaster or emergency. This new program will increase Richland County’s capability to adequately respond to emergencies involving pets. In responding to every aspect of a disaster, it is very important to have a program in place to systematically evaluate and treat pets that may have been exposed to hazardous materials. This will make it easier to process people with pets as they evacuate from a hazardous area. Richland County created a new Animal Contamination Team comprised of animal care professionals to respond to disasters involving pets.