Nevada County Sheriff's HEART

08/02/2026

Here’s a brief breakdown of the incident that occurred at Tevis 2026:

During the TEVIS 100-mile endurance ride, a horse and rider became separated early in the race. Thankfully, the rider was located quickly and was uninjured. The horse, however, was nowhere to be found.

For more than two hours, HEART’s ground search teams worked tirelessly through steep, unforgiving terrain, tracking the horse’s GPS beacon. Despite the crews’ determination and grueling effort, the rugged landscape prevented them from locating the horse.

As temperatures continued to rise, time became a critical factor. We knew when the horse had last been able to hydrate and it was becoming increasingly important to get eyes on him.

The decision was made to request aviation support.

Within an hour of the call, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office helicopter was overhead. From the air, the crew quickly located the horse, just 3 minutes by air, from our ICP. The good news was that he appeared to be alive and alert. The challenge was that he was trapped deep within an extremely dense stand of manzanita on a mountainside, making a ground extraction unrealistic.

After evaluating the terrain and elevation, the team developed a new plan.

The first helicopter insertion placed the UC Davis Equine Medical Strike Team with the horse. Their role was to assess his condition, administer fluids, provide sedation and prepare him for an aerial extraction.

Because of the elevation and aircraft performance considerations, a separate receiving location had to be established. The helicopter returned to transport the receiving team to that secondary site, where they stood ready.

Once the veterinary team had the horse safely secured in the aerial rescue harness, the pilot performed a flawless external-load flight, delivering the horse to the receiving team without incident.

The 43-second video is courtesy of one of the vets who leaned her phone up against a rock!

After the horse was safely delivered, the helicopter returned to extract the veterinary team, bringing every responder safely off the mountain.

The horse was up and alert within 15 minutes! He was then trailored to veterinarians that were standing by, waiting for him. No significant injuries, but dehydrated.

This rescue was successful because of outstanding interagency cooperation between the Sheriff’s H.E.A.R.T. Team, UC Davis Equine Medical Strike Team, North Valley Animal Disaster Group, Butte County Sheriff’s Office Aviation, and an exceptional pilot whose skill made this operation possible.

It’s important to remember that Large Animal Technical Rescue isn’t about dramatic moments.

It’s about making good decisions under pressure, adapting to changing conditions, trusting your partners, and executing the fundamentals flawlessly.

This mission was a perfect example of all of the above. It couldn’t have been completed without all involved teams, doing their thing!
❤️

08/02/2026

When people ask what makes a successful large animal rescue, the answer is simple… TEAMWORK!

This weekend, that teamwork was on full display during the TEVIS 100-mile Endurance Ride.

A horse in need brought together an incredible group of professionals and volunteers, each bringing their unique skills to the mission. The Sheriff’s H.E.A.R.T. Team was honored to work alongside UC Davis Equine Medical Strike Team, North Valley Animal Disaster Group (NVADG), Butte County Sheriff’s Office, an exceptionally skilled helicopter pilot, and one remarkably cooperative equine patient.

Every successful rescue depends on trust, communication, and people willing to put the mission above themselves. From veterinary expertise to aviation, ground operations, and animal handling, every person played an important role in giving this horse the best possible outcome.

We are grateful for our partners who continue to demonstrate that when organizations work together, extraordinary things can happen.

Thank you to everyone who made this rescue possible, and to one very brave horse for trusting us every step of the way.

Together, we don’t just respond. We make rescue possible. ❤️🐴🚁

08/02/2026

Twenty hours in, the HEART LATR Team is still providing emergency veterinary support for horses competing in the iconic 100-mile Tevis Cup Endurance Ride.

It’s been a long, hot, grueling day, but today our team made a real difference.

One call took us deep into the forest using our side-by-side to assist a horse with a serious laceration. Another required coordinating with a helicopter to safely evacuate an injured horse for emergency care.

The day has been exhausting, but every horse we help reminds us why we’re here.

We’re not done yet. There are still horses out on the trail, and until the last one is safely through, we’ll remain ready to respond.

So… here we wait. 🐴❤️

UPDATE: After the helicopter ride to a place of safety, the horse seemed very happy and eager to walk into an awaiting horse trailer under it's own power! Smiles all around for this positive outcome. Success!

07/31/2026

A MESSAGE TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS

With as many fires as we’ve had locally lately, I want to remind everyone who responds…firefighters, law enforcement, dispatchers, animal responders, volunteers, emergency personnel, and everyone working behind the scenes, to take care of yourselves, too.

Every response puts our bodies and minds into high gear. The adrenaline, the urgency, the uncertainty, the long hours, and the constant state of readiness take a toll.

And be honest… what happens inside you when you hear that distinctive Watch Duty tone?

You know exactly what I mean.

We still have a lot of fire season ahead of us, and taking care of ourselves is part of taking care of our community. We need each other healthy, rested, focused, and ready for the next call.

So when you have the opportunity, breathe. Eat real food. Hydrate. Sleep. Step away when you can.

And one that too many of us forget:

Talk about it.

Not every call ends when the fire is out, the evacuation is over, or we go home. Sometimes we carry pieces of these incidents with us. You don’t have to wait until something feels overwhelming to talk about it.

If something from a response is weighing on you, reach out to someone you trust. And if you don’t feel like you have someone to talk to, talk to me. You know where to find me.

We spend a lot of time taking care of everyone else.

Please remember to take good care of yourself, too.

Stef~❤️

07/30/2026

07/29/2026

🔥 THE COMBIE FIRE WAS A REMINDER: HAVE A PLAN. 🔥

The Combie Fire was scary. It had all the potential to become a much larger and more dangerous incident. Thankfully, our partners in the fire service hit it hard, moved quickly, and got it under control.

We also know that for many residents in the area, those first moments brought fear and uncertainty, especially when it came to what to do with their animals.

That’s exactly why the H.E.A.R.T. Team talks so often about preparedness.

Have a plan. Practice your plan. And most importantly—WRITE IT DOWN.

During an emergency, stress takes over. Things that seem simple today can suddenly become difficult to remember when there’s smoke in the air, emergency vehicles are moving through your neighborhood, and you’re trying to figure out how to safely evacuate your family and animals.

Know which animals go where.
Know who is responsible for each one.
Know where your carriers, leashes, halters and medications are.
Know how you’ll load your large animals.
Know where you can go.

And then practice it before you need it.

We prepare because emergencies don’t give us time to figure it out once they’ve started.

Have a plan. Write it down. Practice it. Be ready.

If you need assistance with your animals during an emergency, call the regional dispatch center, 530-265-7880, and request H.E.A.R.T.❤️

07/19/2026

People always tell us they want to be a part of our Team. They ask questions. Some join, others decide it's not for them and that is okay. Animal rescue in dangerous environments are high adrenaline events.
The HEART Team was recently activated for the Kearney Fire in Nevada County. This was the first activation and fire for new volunteer Nancy Hushbeck. The article below is a recap of some of her emotions and thoughts that raced through her mind from the time of the alert to the conclusion of her day. It is a very serious article, full of emotion and dedication.

The First Call

This is the moment you’ve been training for all your life. Well, really only for a few months. Grueling hours of studying, taking FEMA and RESQ classes to pass tests are a thing of the past. The hands-on training with calm cooperative animals in a controlled environment completed. You’re ready, easy peasy. Then you wait and wait.

At long last, and yet far too soon, the call comes in. You ring teammates to hitch a ride and you grab your go bag because it’s set, right? Well almost. There is a bag and stuff to put in it, but ready – no! The outdated phone gets thrown on the charger to gain every last bit of energy, while the gear gets stuffed. Have you got everything? Who knows?

The plan is head to the staging area and care for animals evacuated from homes. Arrival at the site includes a directional shift. The new mission, go out to the fire evacuation zone and load animals to take to the sheltering area.

The calmness of the experienced driver and his co-pilot are comforting. Nervousness swirls through my mind. Why am I going into the evacuation zone? Anxious home and pet owners line the roads. One stops us, frantic and worried about the removal of her animals. Sirens blare behind us as she has blocked our path. Once she is away from the vehicle we continue towards our destination. Pink flame retardant covers vehicles, solar panels, and homes. Upon arrival the area is assessed, firefighters are consulted, and a plan of action developed.

The firefighters have knocked down the flames. Small flare ups pop up, but there is little fuel left to burn. The air is thick with smoke. The animals are scared and not cooperative (so much for training). We attempt to load the first four goats, using fencing panels, lead ropes, and whatever else is nearby. Three goats escape our containment. Plans pivot from trailering them to getting them back in the pens and starting again.

Being unsuccessful in loading them into the trailer the situation is reevaluated. The fire, thankfully, is under control. The goats will be safe sheltering in place. Overhearing a portion of this, I feel a little panic as I think WE will be sheltering in place.

The animals are secured in their pens and food and water are provided. The fire crew will remain on site making sure there are no lingering hot spots and will call if conditions change. We roll slowly out. After waiting to meet with another teammate, we head back to the staging area and “clock out.” Thanks to the swift response from Cal Fire and many fire and law enforcement agencies, our need was very limited.

I am extremely grateful that my first call out was with friends who knew the ropes so well. They probably even helped weave them. A great deal was learned on the call that a sterile environment cannot teach. My needed equipment has been purchased or ordered and the bag organized and packed. Hopefully, when the next call comes, I will feel more prepared and be better able to assist the crew.

07/18/2026

Great opportunity on a hot day for the team to get together and do a little bit of training😎❤️

07/18/2026

The HEART team out doing community outreach!! ❤️

07/18/2026

Looking forward to this Webinar!!❤️

LAST CALL: Animal Response Teams - You won't want to miss this upcoming live webinar with Humane World for Animals! Register today!

When animal response operations are activated during a disaster or emergency, the needs of the incident evolve rapidly.

Actions taken by animal response teams in the first hours, first days, and throughout the entirety of the incident can have a significant impact on outcomes for both animals and the people who care for them.

Join Celia Jackson, Humane World for Animals Program Director - Disaster Response, Animal Rescue Team to discuss animal preparedness and response, incident activation, lessons learned, and tips for best practices based on experiences supporting animal disaster response efforts across the country.

Webinar Details:
🗓️ Wednesday, Jul 22, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM Pacific Time

In our 30 minutes together, we'll cover:
✅ Introduction to Humane World for Animals and their services
✅Overview of all animal preparedness and response
✅Best practices and lessons learned from the first 48 to 72 hours of an incident
✅Considerations for extended incidents, including PPE and equipment use, management, and short and long term storage
✅Live Q&A

Presented by Humane World for Animals
Hosted by Cal CARTs

Register by emailing [email protected]