Two PA counties form an animal rescue team program

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE, PA — Animal advocates in Pike and Wayne counties have combined their efforts and formed the County Animal Response Team (CART).

CART programs train participants to facilitate a safe, environmental and efficient response to animal emergencies on the local, county, state and federal level. Pike and Wayne were the only counties in the state that did not have such a team before this project was initiated.

CART is a public-private partnership, joining government agencies with private concerns around the common goal of animal issues during disasters. The teams are organized under the auspices of the state and local Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and groups like the American Red Cross.

“After Hurricane Katrina, the federal government found that people would not leave their homes unless they could bring their house pets along,” said Jessica Fenton, president of CART. Avoiding this kind of problem motivated the formation of CART, she said.

Beginning last March, supporters began the process of pulling together local resources and volunteers to form a rescue team. The group was able to secure the use of a trailer, which contains necessary equipment like animal cages, animal collars and other things to handle animals.

“At a disaster site, the cages would be issued to pet owners who would take the caged pets to a temporary shelter site,” said Dan Potter of the American Red Cross. Animals are not permitted to be housed in a shelter with humans but would be housed in the cages outside the shelter, he said.

The trailer, which was paid for by funds from the state emergency planning committee, is stored at a Pike County site.

The group, which is dependent on groups like fire companies and veterinary clinics to shelter animals for the duration of the crisis, has no plans to build a permanent shelter of their own.

“Individuals are not able to phone us to come to their rescue,” said Angel Hanrahan, vice-president of the group. “We only respond when we are called by the emergency management departments.”

In times of disaster in either county, the county EMA will call out the team and let them know that a shelter is opened at a location.

Anyone wishing to donate funds to the group should send their contributions to the local American Red Cross with a message to apply it to the CART program. The Red Cross phone is 570/253-2310. Those wishing to volunteer should call the Wallenpaupack Veterinary Clinic in Hawley at 570/226-2212.