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Butler County Animal Response Team
About CARTs
Animal Response Teams were first created after Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Over three million animals, livestock included, perished in that natural disaster. That figure could have been substantially reduced with a coordinated emergency plan to address animal and agricultural issues. The first team was a state level group, representing a partnership between state government agencies and non-governmental organizations. In the years that followed, local groups began to develop in the form of County Animal Response Teams.Animal issues came to the forefront again during Hurricane Katrina when many individuals either refused to evacuate to safety without their pets or re-entered dangerous areas to rescue pets that had been left behind. Following that disaster, the federal government passed the PETS Act (Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006) which requires state and local emergency plans to address the needs of companion animals and service animals in a disaster.
The Butler County Animal Response Team (BU CART) was started to help ensure the safety, survival and welfare of any animal affected by natural and man-made disasters in our area. One of their primary missions is to help the county meets its obligations under the PETS Act. In addition to assisting with planning activities and public outreach/education, they are tasked with activating emergency animal shelters and helping to coordinate animal evacuations/rescues during disasters.
While trained animal medical professionals are valuable assets of a team, citizens who are willing to make a difference and get involved are just as important to the success of the team!
All disaster responders must complete a core training curriculum. Much of the training can be completed on-line and is offered free of charge. Once the training is complete, team members are credentialed and can be activated through the proper notification methods.
Some of the basic core classes that are completed online include: FEMA IS-100 (Introduction to ICS), FEMA IS-200 (ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents), FEMA IS-700 (Introduction to NIMS), and Psychological First Aid. Classroom classes include Animal First Aid and Human First Aid. Team members are also expected to have a "go bag" ready for team deployment.
Anyone interested in volunteering with the BU CART team will first need to complete a volunteer application. To access that online app, click here.
If you have questions about BU CART, would like to attend a meeting, or would like more information about Animal Response Teams in general, please complete our on-line information request form.
For information on upcoming BU CART events and activities, you can also contact Butler County Emergency Management at (316) 733-9796.
Volunteering and Training
While trained animal medical professionals are valuable assets of a team, citizens who are willing to make a difference and get involved are just as important to the success of the team!
All disaster responders must complete a core training curriculum. Much of the training can be completed on-line and is offered free of charge. Once the training is complete, team members are credentialed and can be activated through the proper notification methods.
Some of the basic core classes that are completed online include: FEMA IS-100 (Introduction to ICS), FEMA IS-200 (ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents), FEMA IS-700 (Introduction to NIMS), and Psychological First Aid. Classroom classes include Animal First Aid and Human First Aid. Team members are also expected to have a "go bag" ready for team deployment.
Anyone interested in volunteering with the BU CART team will first need to complete a volunteer application. To access that online app, click here.
Contact Us
If you have questions about BU CART, would like to attend a meeting, or would like more information about Animal Response Teams in general, please complete our on-line information request form.
For information on upcoming BU CART events and activities, you can also contact Butler County Emergency Management at (316) 733-9796.