June 17th, 2009 by admin
The Elk Lake High School Key Club headed by Josie Coddington recently committed their latest project in helping CART by collecting two back boards and donating a generous monetary collection to the Susquehanna County Animal Response Team (CART). The check was presented by Amanda Carney, one of the Elk Lake Key Club members.
According to Julie Costello, Coordinator of Susquehanna County CART, “The members of Elk Lake Key Club did an amazing job and their contribution to their community is a prime example of Susquehanna County’s youth and their devotion to help the community whenever help is needed”.
The Susquehanna County Animal Response Team is currently in the process of gathering supplies for a shelter area should a disaster such as the flooding of 2006 or another type of emergency hit Susquehanna County. These shelters will be located at any one of the six school districts in the county should a county evacuation occur. Residents of the county will now be able to evacuate with their pets. The Red Cross shelter will continue to remain inside the main school building while the pets will be housed in one of the school outbuildings such a garage. It is in the hope that no lives will be lost due to the reasoning that a pet owner does not want to leave their pet behind and instead will now go to a shelter. However, until CART gets ample supplies, pet owners will have to bring crates/cages, their pets food and water and also their food and water bowls for at least ten days.
CART is still in need of any gently used animal items, including farm animal items and especially cages or crates for the shelter area. These items may be dropped off at The Lucky Dog Pet Spa located at 11 S. Main Street in Montrose Pa. In lieu of a donated item, monetary donations made be made out to PASART, 2605 Interstate Drive, Harrisburg, Pa. 17110-9364. Make sure you note Susquehanna County in the memo section of the check.
Anyone who is interested in joining CART please contact the Penn State Cooperative Extension at (570) 278-1158.
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June 15th, 2009 by admin
The Inn at Montrose located at 26 S. Main Street in Montrose (570-278-1124) will be holding a fund-raiser for the Susquehanna County Animal Response Team (CART) on Thursday, June 18th, 2009. On that evening between 5:00pm and 9:00 pm a portion of the cost of all dinners ordered will be donated to CART. A guest bartender will also be tending the bar and will be donating their tip money to CART.
Anyone who dines at the Inn that night will have not only have an enjoyable dinner but will also be helping their county CART, so come on down and support your local response team. The Susquehanna County Animal Response Team (CART) is a non-profit organization which is maintained and run by volunteers. This means that 100% of all donated money goes to the supplies needed to rescue and shelter animals. CART has partnered with the Susquehanna Chapter of the Red Cross and our county School Districts so residents may be housed near their pets at evacuation centers.
If you are unable to make it to the Inn at Montrose and would like to make a donation, please make out a check to PASART (Pennsylvania State Animal Response Team), 2605 Interstate Drive, Harrisburg, Pa. 17110-9364. To ensure the funding stays in the county, make sure you note Susquehanna County in the memo section of the check.
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February 26th, 2009 by admin
One of the primary functions of the County Animal Response Team (CART) is to provide sheltering for animals during an emergency or disaster situation. It is a proven fact that the number one reason a person will not evacuate is because people will not leave their pets.
All six school districts in Susquehanna County have agreed to accommodate CART by utilizing their out buildings and grounds to house companion pets should an evacuation occur. Since it is required by law that selected schools open as human shelters during a disaster, the adjacent buildings will now house the evacuated pets. This will allow people to visit and walk their pets during scheduled times. Reptiles and birds will be transported to other locations after receiving an intake number at the evacuation center.
The old adage of leaving your pets behind with plenty of water and food no longer exists. It was evident in the aftermath of Katrina that this system did not work. It is very important that everyone should take a pro-active position in disaster preparedness. Some steps to take prior to any event should be:
- Have a location where everyone in your family will meet and practice your home evacuation drill. TAKE YOUR PETS. Do not leave your pets at home. Do not leave your pets tied outside.
- Have a pre-determined location where you, your family, and pets could stay. Contact family members and friends before hand. Possibly an exchange program could be utilized. An agreement could be made that if the other party needs to evacuate, they can stay at your property. Remember a disaster can happen anywhere, anytime!
- Prior to a disaster, prepare your animal’s emergency kits. Have disaster kits ready for both your family and your pets.
- Have a secured carrier for each of your animals. Take quality frontal and profile photographs of each of your animals. Have numerous copies of each made. If an animal has an individual or identifying mark. Take a photograph and keep it with you. Use this as positive ID if you need to claim your pet.
- It is very important to make a copy of each animal’s medical records, especially any and all health and current rabies certificates.
- Have a special collar name tag made with multiple contact numbers and addresses.
- Familiarize your pets with their carriers by loading them into cages. Use food as an enticement if necessary. When an emergency comes, you want the animal to enter willingly and without delay.
- If using an out of the area clinic, boarding kennel or motel, check on the rules and accommodations.
- Have your animals micro-chipped or tattooed.
- Designate a family member to be in charge of the animals. Formulate a buddy system with a neighbor or friend who can check and care for you pets if you are out of the area and can not return. Give them permission for a vet to treat your animals.
- Make sure collars fit the animals. Consider break-away collars for your cats.
- In advance identify local and distant contact for emergency purposes.
- Listen to local radio and television stations to locate a shelter near you.
- The contents of you pet’s disaster kit should include the following:
- Dry food and water for 7 days, in plastic containers.
- Food and water bowls.
- Leashes and ID collars for each animal.
- First Aid kit.
- Any special and/or maintenance medication.
- Copy of medical records, name of vet, and pictures.
- Pooper scooper, baggies, and cat litter.
- Familiar blanket or pad.
- Muzzle (May be required in some situations)
- Cleaning supplies for that accident that always happens.
Taking these steps in advance of any situation will help you, your family and your pets. It will eliminate some of the stress that is associated with any emergency by being prepared and knowing what to do in a time of crisis.
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January 14th, 2009 by admin
Here are the planned general monthly meeting dates for 2009. Please check back if you plan to attend to make sure the meeting has not been canceled or postponed due to weather. It will be posted here if the meeting is canceled.
All meetings are scheduled for 7PM and are held at the Susquehanna County Emergency Management Conference room downstairs in the County Offices Building at 31 Public Ave, Montrose (unless otherwise noted).
- January 14
- February 11 – Canceled
- March 11
- April 15
- May 13 – Canceled due to voting
- June 10
- July 15
- August 12
- September 16
- October 14
- November 18
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August 10th, 2008 by admin
The public and private sectors throughout the country now recognize a pro-active need for disaster planning throughout all agencies, organizations, integrated companies, and individual citizens. This disaster planning was developed primarily with the safety of people in mind. It is only recently that disaster planners across the country have realized how the failure to plan for the animal population will drastically affect the viability of their disaster plans for people. For instance, if the disaster warrants an evacuation, many people will not evacuate without their animals, or will delay their own evacuation in an attempt to make preparations for their animals left behind (livestock and companion animals) to their own detriment. These refusals or delays begin a chain reaction which can seriously jeopardize or cause a total breakdown of the overall disaster plan.
In addition, failure to plan for animals creates serious public health concerns with injured or dead animals. Failure to plan for animals causes considerable public safety problems as animals roam unattended, causing automobile accidents and other injuries to people. And finally, failure to plan for animals will create a public relations nightmare for those agencies which the public perceives as “animal responsible” if animal issues are not properly addressed in the wake of the disaster.
Concerned people of Susquehanna County are actively striving to develop an effective group to address these issues. There are many different aspects which need to be addressed and staffed for this effort to be successful. We will need many volunteers with various skills and resources, willing to work before a disaster occurs, or during an actual disaster, or after the disaster is over.
We will meet on a regular basis (presently monthly) and cover required training (there are some initial training requirements to become an activated member of Susquehanna CART but this does not mean that you can’t participate in the organization) and other pertinent information. As we build our program we will work with each other and other local and state groups to make the Susquehanna County Animal Response Team an important resource for everyone in the county.
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