Pennsylvania State Animal Response Team (Washington County Animal Response Team)

It is not IF disaster will strike, it is WHEN disaster strikes, who will take care of the animals? The Washington County Animal Response Team (WaCART) is the county affiliate of the Pennsylvania State Animal Response Team (PART). WaCART is deployed for animal emergencies through the Washington County 911 Dispatch or PART Director. WaCART has responded to various emergency situations in which animals are in need of assistance including responses to horses stuck in barn stalls, sink holes, mud and ice, highway accidents, livestock escaped on local roads, and setting up temporary shelters for dogs and cats. WaCART is ready to respond to these large and small animal emergency situations with a fully equipped response vehicle and two response trailers. The vehicle and trailers contain technical equipment for large animal incidents and sheltering supplies for small animal responses. WaCART is ready to assist when animals are in emergency situations.

The Washington County Animal Response team is in need of communication devices (iPad, vehicle radio) to assist in our responses to animal emergencies. The team needs to continually replace rope systems and hardware used in large animal technical responses due to this type of equipment having a set service life. Team members need equipment such as protective helmets with lights to protect them from injury during responses. Team members also need winter gear since the team responds to emergencies during the winter months of November through February more than any other time of the year.