Domestic Animal Care Team: Development Plan

Step 1. Reach out to local veterinarians, animal shelters, dog day care, and animal grooming facilities to recruit volunteers for the Disaster Animal Care Team.

Step 2. Identify a Team Lead. 

Step 3. Have volunteers take FEMA IS-100 (An Introduction to the Incident Command System) and IS-700 (An Introduction to the National Incident Management System).

Step 4. Reach out to the local horse-owning community to determine if there are any evacuation plans in the works for wildfire. Offer to get involved.

Step 5. Create educational materials for the general public about how to prepare their animals for disaster. Include lists of recommended supplies. Share these materials with the Ready Your Street Team for dissemination at Ready Your Street parties.

Step 6. Identify a location for a Domestic Animal Care Shelter that would operate after a disaster. Read more at Meeting Places: Domestic Animal Care Shelter. Make a plan to develop the shelter. Gather supplies. Fundraise as needed.

Step 7. Create a resource list of local veterinarians and veterinary care workers who would be willing to staff the shelter post disaster. 

Step 8. Develop Standard Operating Procedures for the team.

Step 10. Identify pre- and post-disaster actions for your team.

Step 11. Create an annual plan for the team and carry out its objectives.

Step 12. Provide annual exercises and training for volunteers.