VDART

Helping Animals In Disasters

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Giving Tuesday 2021

Help Animals in Crisis this Giving Tuesday

The Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team (VDART) was formed in 2007 to improve the state’s response to natural and man-made disasters impacting animals. Since then, hurricanes and tropical storms like Irene in 2011, and most recently Henri in 2021, have directly threatened Vermont, and demonstrated the importance of planning for pets in order to keep ALL members of the family safe. The human/animal bond is never stronger than it is during times of crisis, and VDART volunteers stand ready to assist their communities with animal needs that might arise in the face of life-threatening emergencies.

The covid-19 pandemic has also significantly challenged food-insecure pet families in Vermont, and VDART has been on the front lines of this fight, providing pet food directly to local food pantries across the state for the past 20 months.

VDART receives no federal or state funding to serve this important role as a safety net to pets and pet owners in Vermont, and relies solely on grants and YOUR generous donations to keep our equipment operational and our teams trained and ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. VDART now boasts five regional teams covering the Northeast Kingdom, Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties, Central Vermont, the Upper Valley, and Windham County. And we work cooperatively with independent DARTs in Franklin County and Rutland County.

This Giving Tuesday, you can help us make a real difference for animals (and the people who love them) in YOUR community, by making a donation to VDART’s Anne Ackley Memorial Animal Support Fund. Click  donate to make your donation today!

Thank you for your support!

Joanne Bourbeau, VDART Board Chair

CVDART to host emergency pet sheltering training


CVDART to host emergency pet sheltering training

Sep 8 2021, 12:20 PM

You have probably seen or heard about the massive damage caused by hurricanes Henri and Ida, the fires in the West and the torrential rains in the South. You may know that organizations exist to provide temporary housing for people forced to evacuate their homes, but are you aware that Vermont also has an organization ready to mobilize to care for your pets in such a situation?

When families must evacuate their homes VDART (Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team) steps in to provide emergency shelters for pets. VDART has teams across the state trained to deal with such emergencies. According to their mission statement:
“Our goal is to provide uniformity and excellence in response to animal needs by training and exercising our volunteers in best practices, supporting the development of regional DART teams throughout the state, and providing local emergency managers with guidance on including the community’s pet population in local response plans.”

(Visit their website: https://vermontdart.org/ for more information.)

Recently, hurricane Henri threatened to hit our area and VDART alerted team members to be prepared to mobilize. If the idea of taking part in this rewarding work appeals to you consider attending the free Emergency Animal Sheltering (EAS) training, hosted by CVDART (Central Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team). This is a state wide event, open to both VDART members and interested members of the public. Previous sheltering experience is not required to attend.

This will be hands-on training. Visit https://vermontdart.org/training-2021/ for more information and to register. Open to all. Proof of COVID Vaccination required.

Contact: cvdart2017@gmail.com.

Strengthening Our Community

The Montpelier Food Pantry is rich in partners and this month we’re spotlighting a group that focuses on our four-legged friends. The Central Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team (CVDART) is part of the Vermont DART that helps animals across the state by strengthening and supporting the State’s capacity to respond to animal needs in a disaster. CVDART trains its volunteers in best practices and helps guide local emergency managers on including the pet population in crisis response plans.

In March of 2020, as the threat of the coronavirus became real, VDART had an emergency board meeting to plan how to help animals in the coming pandemic. CVDART then began supplying as much pet food as possible to area food pantries so that those impacted most could still feed their pets. Using a network of volunteers, CVDART supplied 22 area pantries upwards of $38,000 worth of pet food! Much of the food was purchased using CVDART’s emergency funds and individual donations, but some was salvaged from the Pet Food Warehouse (damaged packaging but still safe to eat) and some was surplus food donated by the Central Vermont Humane Society. Volunteers from CVDART have been integral in collecting donated food and helping get it to the pantries who need it — like ours!

CVDART is seeking volunteers and has a September 25th volunteer training in Barre. If you want a rewarding way to help animals, consider attending or contacting them about volunteering in general. 


Photo below: Pantry patron and his four-legged friends.

Training – September 25, 2021

Volunteer Training 2021

SAVE THE DATE: September 25th, 2021
 
Emergency Animal Sheltering Training.
Hosted by CVDART (Central Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team).
 
Saturday September 25th from 9-4 at the BOR (Barre Outdoor Arena), 16 Auditorium Hill Barre, VT 05641. Open to all.

For more information, please check here for updates.

 

Disaster Animal Response Team Forms in Northeast Kingdom

Disaster Animal Response Team Form in Northeast Kingdom

 

The Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team (VDART), a statewide non-profit that helps animals impacted by natural and man-made disasters, is excited to announce that its board recently approved the application of the newly formed Northeast Kingdom Disaster Animal Response Team (NEK-DART). NEK-DART will join VDART’s current network of chartered regional response teams for animals across the state, which are currently located in Chittenden County, Central Vermont, the Upper Valley, and Windham County. NEK-DART’s service area will include Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties.

“We are thrilled to be able to launch a chapter of VDART in the Northeast Kingdom”, said Giovanna Zaccaria, who will be co-leading the team with Chrysta Murray. “The Northeast Kingdom covers a vast rural area in the eastern corner of Vermont bordering Canada. In the event of a disaster, it will be imperative to offer timely support to the animals and individuals residing here that may not be available from other areas of the state. On a personal level, Chrysta and I are lifelong animal lovers. Between our two households we have four dogs, four cats, one hedgehog and one turtle! We are deeply committed to building a local resource to help support our animal loving neighbors in the event of a disaster as we would want to be supported and thank VDART for allowing us to be a part of their mission.” VDART was formed in 2007 after Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the severe negative impact that not planning for animals in disasters can have on not only animals, but the people who care for them. Thousands of animals died needlessly in Louisiana and Mississippi without proper planning, and human lives were also lost because owners refused to leave their pets behind.

Since the pandemic hit in March, 2020, VDART has focused efforts on fundraising for pet food to provide to food insecure pet families here in Vermont. Response Team volunteers have coordinated the dispersal of thousands of pounds of pet food to local food pantries, animal shelters and homeless shelters in every corner of the state, including the Northeast Kingdom.

If you’re interested in volunteering with the NEK-DART or another response team in your community, go to www.VermontDART.org/volunteer to learn more and apply.

 

 

Compassion Fatigue: Building Resiliency for Vermont Animal Protection Community

 

Photo Credit: Chad Sisneros, The Humane Society of the United States

Photo Credit: Chad Sisneros, The Humane Society of the United States

This workshop will provide attendees with the tools needed to stay resilient as they face the day-to-day challenges of their work in the animal protection field.

We’ll provide participants with a shared language and understanding of the causes and symptoms of compassion fatigue as well as a suite of skills to become a non-anxious presence, and that can be used to build and maintain a healthy and intentional culture of skillful communication, openness, and personal responsibility. Participants will also have the opportunity to create a personal plan of action.

This webinar is geared toward those in the animal protection field, whether as volunteer or staff, in shelters, animal control/humane law enforcement, spay/neuter clinic, advocacy, disaster response, sanctuary or wildlife rehabilitation, but is suitable for anyone in any caring profession.

Link to Register for training

Vermont Disaster Animal Response Teams and State Farm Ensure Pets are Included in Emergency Preparedness Plans

During a disaster, evacuating your home is oftentimes necessary.  You may have an evacuation plan for you and your family, but preparing to vacate with your pets is also important. Pet owners will often refuse to evacuate without their animals, so including them in your emergency plan is vital to the safety of the entire family.

Disaster Animal Response Teams (DARTs) across Vermont are committed to educating pet owners on how to prepare their furry friends for emergencies.  To further ensure preparedness, Vermont DARTs have partnered with State Farm to provide go-bags for cat and dog owners to be used during an evacuation.  State Farm has donated nearly 2,000 items, including collapsible water and food bowls, waste bag carriers shaped like dog bones, dog bite prevention coloring books, leashes and compact first aid kits, as well as cat and dog drawstring bags in which to store the items.  Also included in the bags are enrichment pet toys from the Greater Good Foundation, and pet food lids and disaster preparedness information from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). 

Some regional teams have distributed go-bags to local animals shelters to be given out with every cat and dog adoption, as well as distributed them at community events.  They are also provided at food distribution events to ensure that pet families with food insecurities are included.

“Thanks to the generous donation of disaster supplies from our friends at State Farm, Greater Good and the HSUS, the Windham Disaster Animal Response Team (WinDART) assembled 200 starter go-kits to be distributed to pet families in Windham County,” said Joanne Bourbeau.  “WinDART has been giving the kits away during pop-up food pantry events. Recently, we also distributed bags to pet families who are sheltering with their pets in homeless shelters.”

“Our team held two events – one in Barre and one in Cabot – where we passed out 200 bags,” adds Lisa Lemieux with the Central Vermont DART.  “Needless to say, they were a big hit!  More importantly, we were able to educate local communities on the importance of pet and human preparation in the event of an emergency.  Thank you, State Farm!”

For more information on how to prepare your pet for an emergency, visit the Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team.

Jennifer Young, CPCU
State Farm
Corporate Responsibility Analyst – NJ, NY, CT, NH, VT & ME

CVDART expanding delivery of pet food to food shelves in the Northeast Kingdom

Central Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team (CVDART) Press Release

On January 28, 2021, the Central Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team will be delivering over one-thousand pounds of pet food to food shelves in the Northeast Kingdom.  Without a local DART team in the Northeast Kingdom there is an unmet need for additional pet food to supplement the pet food provided by the Vermont Food Bank.

8These are difficult times for many of us and Vermonters are pulling together to care for each other. CVDART – the Central Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team, as well as other VDART regional teams across the state havebeen making sure that our pets are not forgotten. Together with local food pantries and animal welfare organizations, CVDART has been distributing food for companion animals.

Pets are especially important for those who are housebound or otherwise isolated. In some cases, a cat or dog might be the only companion a person has. The idea of having to make a choice between abandoning a beloved companion or sharing limited food is appalling. Thus, organizations like CVDART are working hard to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Since March CVDART has distributed over $18,500 worth of pet food to families through local food pantries. 

If you are interested in beginning a DART team in the Northeast Kingdom, please contact, Lisa Lemieux, Vice Chair, Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team – 802-505-7677 / cvdart2017@gmail.com

Delivering Pet Food During COVID-19

Pet Food donated to shelters during COVID-19

Click on the video above to watch the interview by WCAX. 

Many of the VDART teams have been collecting money and pet food to donate to food pantries around the state.  Over $4000 of dog and cat food donated.

Here are some of the recipients:

  • Capstone Community Action
  • CERV
  • Connecting Hope
  • Duxbury Elf Shelf
  • Faith in Action
  • Hedding Methodist
  • Montpelier Food Pantry
  • UMC Middlesex
  • Waterbury Food Shelf
  • Waterbury Senior Meals
  • Williamstown Food Shelf
  • Vermont Food Bank (Brattleboro)

Many people donated cash enabling the teams to purchase food to donate to food pantries.  Thanks to the many donations as well on Giving Tuesday!

Ann Ackley Memorial Animal Support Fund

Ann Ackley Memorial Animal Support Fund

Ann Ackley first became involved with the UVDART during 2011 when the
Companion Animal Mobile Equipment Trailer (CAMET) was based at Lucy
Mackenzie Humane Society. Ann then joined the UVDART and rapidly became a
Board member. In March of 2012, Ann became the Vice Chair, a critical role
assisting the current Chair who had many job-related commitments. Ann became the UVDART Board Chair in November of 2012 and held this position for next six
years.

Ann also joined VDART as one of the two UVDART representatives around
December of 2014, rising to Vice Chair of that Board. She religiously attended the Board Meetings of both teams through early 2020 until severe weather intervened.

Ann also led several Disaster Responses (DR’s) involving shelter operations and statewide drills. During these days, she also religiously carried the UVDART Beeper which was used for activation of the team. When the VT-Alert system replaced the beeper, she remained a primary contact person and regularly attended the formal Team training events.
We lost Ann to cancer in 2020 after a tough two-year fight. She is and will always be missed. Ann served well with both class and distinction, and was always ready to help with a smile and a kind word.

(Note: UVDART first began to form during 2004)

Donations can be made in her honor

Mission

The Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team (VDART) was established in 2007 in order to strengthen and support the state’s capacity to respond to animal needs in the event of a disaster. We provide vital resources and advice to pet owners, animal-related businesses and non-profits, local communities, and state agencies in this area. Read More

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