Windham Disaster Animal Response Team, a nonprofit response agency dedicated to the needs of pets during emergencies, is in the process of forming partnerships with emergency management directors in Windham County to ensure that pet owners have the resources they need to stay safe.
Their website, www.VermontDART.org, is filled with planning resources in this area as well as an Operations Manual that contains best practices for setting up and operating pet-friendly shelters, sample forms, a list of pet-friendly hotels, and animal handling tips.
WinDART also has two training opportunities coming up for first responders.
A workshop - Equine Handling and Behavior for First Responders - will be held at Brookside Stables in Wilmington on Sunday, June 11, from 1 to 4 p.m.
This hands-on session will provide emergency personnel with an overview of basic horse behavior, equine body language, and how human body language and reactions can affect horses. Learn more about the workshop and how to register at vermontdart.org/event/equine-handling-and-behavior-for-first-responders/?instance_id=44.
WinDART will also conduct a day-long Emergency Animal Sheltering workshop to teach participants the basic elements of setting up and operating an emergency pet shelter.
Using live animals, the workshop will also cover basic pet behavior, handling, and first aid. The goal is to continue to build the ranks of trained volunteer responders in Windham County for both local and state-wide emergencies involving animals. Go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/YSFC56D to register.