Bay Area DART| DISASTER ANIMAL RESPONSE TEAM
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What should I do to protect my pet before a disaster? Most disasters occur with little or no warning. Planning ahead is the key to survival! The single most important thing you can do to protect your pets if you evacuate is to take them with you! IF IT'S NOT SAFE FOR YOU TO STAY IN THE DISASTER AREA, IT'S NOT SAFE FOR YOUR PETS! Click here to learn what you can do to protect your pets before a disaster strikes. |
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Awareness Level Small Animal Sheltering Class Florida State Animal Response Coalition has scheduled an awareness level small animal sheltering class on SUNDAY - July 29th, 2012 at SPCA Tampa Bay in Largo. This is a one day class and upon completion satisfies the first requirement to be able to deploy under Bay Area DART AND the State team (FL SARC). There is no fee to attend this class, due to a generous grant. If you have not taken this class, I strongly urge you to do so. I am not sure when this class will be offered this close to the Tampa Bay Area, so if you want to get involved with assisting the animals in your community and in your state, NOW is the time to do it! The format of the class is classroom as well as a practical portion. For more information and to register go to www.flsarc.org. Class space is limited, so sign up ASAP. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let me know. Pam Burns pamburnsdart@gmail.com. In massive operation, volunteers labor to save 700 neglected cats Bay Area DART, Sumter DART and Florida SARC are assisting ASPCA in the rescue of over 700 cats from Caboodle Ranch in Madison County. The cats were found living in overcrowded and filthy conditions. Many are exhibiting signs of severe neglect and appear to be suffering from upper respiratory conditions and eye infections, among a host of other medical issues. Some sick cats were housed together but not separated by their afflictions, allowing for the unfettered transmission of various diseases. Responders have found numerous deceased and decomposing cats on the property, as well as multiple shallow grave sites. To read more about how our teams are involved, check out this story from the Tampa Bay Times.
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Become a Bay Area DART Member! Anyone with a love for animals can become a member of Bay Area DART. There is no membership fee. We ask that our members try to attend as many meetings as possible, donate a couple of hours of their time per month working on various animal related committee projects, and attend periodic training sessions to strengthen our team’s knowledge and skills. If you want to get more involved helping animals in your community contact Pam Burns, Volunteer Coordinator at pamburnsdart@gmail.com. Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com Dash for DART On December 31, 2011, DART volunteers and supporters gathered at J.B. Starkey Park in New Port Richey with their dogs for a race to benefit Bay Area DART. This 1st annual race was the brainchild of two of our members, Elaine Anthony and Pam Dickens. They did a great job pulling this together and designing awesome race shirts! On top of that, the event raised $1,300 for DART!
Volunteer Roster Form Click here and complete the online form to volunteer
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DART in the News September 2011: Bay Area DART and Sumter DART assisted HSI Canada with the care and adoption of more than 500 dogs from a commercial breeding facility in the largest such seizure in Canadian history. Click here to see the video by HSI.
Photo Courtesy of Kathy Milani/The HSUS February 2011: Cynthia Smoot from Fox13 rides along with Laura and JT Fletcher on a 30-hour trek to save 68 dogs.
Volunteer Handbook
Click here for a copy of the We met Rescue Ink!
Florida SARC Weekend of Training is a Success!
This edition includes articles from David Perry, Pam Burns and John Haven. The pictures are awesome! Click here to read more |
Animal Services Calls for Volunteers to Help with Pet Pick-ups from Special Needs Citizens During Evacuations Volunteers will serve as auxiliary Disaster Animal Response Team (DART) members to help transport pets of special needs citizens to safe, predetermined locations. Those interested in volunteering should call Pinellas County Animal Services, at (727) 582-2623. Helpers will need to fill out Pinellas County volunteer applications and must complete training facilitated by the Bay Area DART Team. This service will help special needs citizens who might otherwise decide not to evacuate because of their pets. This service can help them feel more comfortable about leaving their homes, knowing their animals are safe. Of course, service animals may go to shelters with special needs citizens, but other pets need to be cared for by making prior arrangements, such as signing up to go to a local animal shelter, or host home. If special needs citizens are already registered with their local fire department and have a pet that they need help evacuating, they should call Pinellas County Animal Services at (727) 582-2600 to register pets for pick-up. The Pinellas County Special Needs/Evacuation Assistance Program is for residents requiring minimal medical assistance and/or who need transportation to a shelter, and pre registration is strongly recommended to ensure that resources are available to transport the pets. Registration forms are available through the mail or online. To learn more about the program for special needs citizens, and/or pet-friendly shelters, call Pinellas County Emergency Management at (727) 464-3800 or visit www.pinellascounty.org/emergency. Citizens may also contact their nearest fire department or home health care provider. Pinellas County Animal Services is located at 12450 Ulmerton Road in Largo. To learn more about taking care of pets during an evacuation, visit www.pinellascounty.org/animalservices. |
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