Pennsylvania Animal Response Team

Pennsylvania Animal Response Team Providing prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery for animal emegrencies Many of these animals could have been saved by a coordinated response plan.

In today’s world, we all worry about the threat of a natural or man-made disaster. Animals are especially vulnerable when a disaster strikes because they must rely on us for help. In 1999, Hurricane Floyd claimed the lives of millions of animals in North Carolina and thousands more were separated from their owners. From this tragedy, the State Animal Response Team (SART) concept was born. In 2004, Pennsylvania adopted this concept to address its animal-related disaster response needs. Pennsylvania Animal Response Team (PART) was created through a private-public partnership to serve as a unifying network of organizations, businesses, federal, state, county and local government agencies, and individuals that supports the prevention, preparedness, response and recovery for emergencies affecting animals. Because disaster response needs to happen at a local level, PART builds County Animal Response Teams (CARTs) across the state. County coordinators are selected to lead the development of county teams consisting of volunteers who will respond to emergencies at the local level. Goals of PART

- To facilitate a rapid, coordinated, and effective response to any emergency affecting animals;
- To decrease the health and safety threat to humans and animals;
- To minimize the economic impact of emergencies affecting animals; and
- To prevent or decrease the spread of disease during emergencies affecting animals.

Our Washington County Animal Response Team coordinator is a fantastic teacher who developed and teaches these trainings ...
08/26/2026

Our Washington County Animal Response Team coordinator is a fantastic teacher who developed and teaches these trainings that are so crucial to all our partners. The hard part is funding them. These K9 bags aren't cheap and neither are travel costs and training equipment. If you know of any grants that can support this work, please send them our way!

Being able to provide emergency care for a partner injured in the line of duty is something every police officer should know, according to the Washington County Animal Response Team. Especially when that partner is a K-9. “For a handler, we spend more time with these dogs than even our

08/09/2026

Somerset CART was activated for two incidents this weekend. We want to express our gratitude to two of our local shelters for their assistance.
On Saturday, we were called by PSP to transport three dogs whose owner was sadly found deceased. The Humane Society of Somerset County agreed to take them in to find them new homes.
And today we were contacted about an injured dog found in Confluence. Bedford County Humane Society kindly agreed to take him to their emergency vet in State College for care. Fortunately, on our way to Bedford, his owner contacted us! Mo is now with his family and will be seen by their veterinarian. He is a very old guy as you can see in the photo, and much loved.
CART is only able to help in these situations if a shelter or rescue will take possession of the animals. We are happy to transport, but are not able to house them and are unable to pay the large veterinary bills that often occur. We are eternally grateful for the shelters and rescues who are willing to assist. Please donate to them if you are able so that they can continue to afford to help the animals.

Great work Luzerne County Animal Response Team
08/06/2026

Great work Luzerne County Animal Response Team

An early morning house fire Wednesday in Shavertown, Kingston Twp., left one man dead and two other people hospitalized. It also marked the third fatal residential blaze in Luzerne County in less than a week.

08/06/2026
08/02/2026
08/02/2026

Early this morning the Luzerne County Animal Response Team responded to a fatal fire on Bennett St in Luzerne.

A family dog, Lucan, was found unresponsive in the home and partially stuck to the floor. Firefighters were able to perform CPR and administer oxygen and revived him. I went and picked him up and immediately rushed him to the ER for smoke inhalation and a wound from being stuck to the floor from the intense heat.

I would like to personally thank every Firefighter, Police Officer, EMS personnel on scene and our 911 operations center. This was a very heartbreaking call where a 15 year old young man lost his life and 3 other family members are in the hospital fighting. Another family dog, Zeva, also perished. We will be taking her to be cremated.

Please send prayers for the victims, their friends and family and prayers for our first responders that experienced this tragedy.

Lucan was given a bath immediately and put in an oxygen chamber at the ER. He also has an eye ulceration. Lucan is resting comfortably with some medication and being monitored. Thank you to our friends at the Luzerne County SPCA for helping keep Lucan under medical supervision until he can be reunited with his family.

Rest in peace Connor my sincere condolences to your family and friends on such a tragic loss. Happy Heavenly Birthday Connor. Rest in peace to Zeva that passed. I hope you are both reunited and together. ❤️

07/28/2026
So proud of our own Cumberland CART coordinator Chris Darhower for stepping up!
07/27/2026

So proud of our own Cumberland CART coordinator Chris Darhower for stepping up!

Great work Somerset County Animal Response Team - CART
07/23/2026

Great work Somerset County Animal Response Team - CART

SOMERSET, Pa. (WTAJ) — Three people are facing charges after more than 50 animals were rescued from a home in Black Township in May. Andrew and Madeline Pletcher, 44 and 37, along with Tabath…

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Harrisburg, PA
17110

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(717) 651-2736

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