Dartcc

08/29/2026

Another state, another team ready to take care of animals in a disaster — welcome, Quindecim 🐾

DART Command Central has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Quindecim Pet & Livestock Disaster Response Team℠, a new Michigan organization built after Cathy Ruprecht saw the same problem again and again: when disaster strikes, families are told to evacuate — but too often, there's nowhere safe to take their animals.

One flood evacuee told Cathy he wouldn't have left his home at all if responders hadn't agreed to take his pet too. "Saving pets does save people," she says.

Through this partnership, Quindecim will use DARTCC's EASApp® and our national network of animal disaster response organizations to build the volunteers, training and systems Michigan needs before the next disaster strikes.

Welcome to the network, Quindecim! 💛

Read the full story: https://dartcc.org/resources/dartcc-news/pr-michigan-team

07/28/2026

Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with DART Command Central — bringing one of the country's most respected veterinary emergency response teams into the DARTCC network.

This isn't just another partnership. When a team with Texas A&M's clinical reputation formalizes a relationship around EASApp®, it's a signal the platform holds up where it matters most: real deployments, real animals, real stakes.

With organizations now collaborating across seven of the ten FEMA regions, including multiple veterinary emergency response organizations, DARTCC continues to build a growing national network dedicated to strengthening emergency animal response through collaboration, shared learning, and preparedness.

Read the full announcement: https://dartcc.org/resources/dartcc-news/darcc-and-tamu-vet-mou

07/20/2026

When wildfires broke out in Pueblo County, Colorado, the Front Range Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps was deployed to a large animal evacuation shelter caring for over 1,000 displaced animals.

Dr. Gillian Penn shared what that looked like on the ground:

"Caring for a large number of displaced animals in a rapidly changing environment requires accurate documentation, seamless communication, and the ability for multiple team members to stay informed—even when they're not on site."

"Having a centralized, accessible record... has improved continuity of care and helped ensure that every animal receives the attention and follow up it needs."

This is exactly what EASApp® was built for.

🚨 If your team responds to emergencies, the EASApp® shelter module is free — reach out to see how we can help.

03/11/2026

Sea Lions Have a New Home! Evidence of Progress and Hope!

As of February 21st 2026 - two animals have been rescued from Marineland Canada and are now in safe and clean water!

Holly and Maui - 🦭
Two 18-year-old female seal lions have been rescued and are now acclimating at the Vancouver Aquarium. It is hopeful and encouraging to know these two marine lives are out of the Marineland site - and we continue to be thankful for the ongoing discussions for the rescue of the cetaceans (30 belugas and 4 dolphins).

It’s exciting to have hopeful rescue options emerging. The rescue of a sea lion is a massive feat of engineering and care.
Now, imagine the scale of the upcoming Beluga rescue. 🐳
Learn how you can help, below.


We want to acknowledge every hand involved in making this move possible. This is a story of progress, hope, and new beginnings.

We are celebrating Holly and Maui’s new beginning with the second-in-series Sea Lion Coloring Page! 🎨 Download your coloring page from this post or on our linked story page site below.

Take Action with Engagement
✅ Download: Get your sea lion or beluga on our Marineland Story page
✅ Personalize: Find an animal or an animal family to follow and send a note of support to the animals and the teams providing their daily, on-the-ground care.
✅ Share: Post a photo of your finished page and tag us.

Let’s show the world that the community is watching—and cheering.
🔗 Get your coloring page and the full report here: https://dartcc.org/marine-land

03/11/2026

The FEMA independent study portal is no longer hosting IS-100 and IS-700 — leaving many organizations scrambling to onboard and credential volunteers before the next disaster.
How is your organization handling the gap? Have you found workarounds, built your own materials, or adjusted your requirements?
Your experience helps the whole community respond better — for the animals, volunteers, and communities we serve.
📋 Share your approach in our short survey: https://forms.gle/oHXoQPhyEKZaTsQ69
📩 Or reach out directly: [email protected]

01/19/2026

Powerful perspective on leadership, ethics, and the role of elders. How we treat wisdom keepers, human and nonhuman alike, shapes the resilience of our communities.

09/17/2025

With EASApp™, volunteers can run emergency pet shelters with ease. Centralizing data, replacing paper, and streamlining operations so pets get the care they need when families are displaced.
We’re delighted to welcome The State of Massachusetts Animal Resource Team (SMART), Vermont Guardian Angel Ministries (GAM), Butler County Animal Response Team (BuCART), Kansas State Animal Response Team (KSART) and Kansas Sedgwick County Animal Response Team (SCART), Front Range Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps (FRVMRC), as partners in strengthening disaster preparedness.

Together, we’re building safer, more resilient communities.

09/03/2025

In a disaster, people won’t leave without their pets—and that can be life or death.

When Hurricane Katrina struck 20 years ago, thousands of pets were left behind. Many families refused to evacuate without them—tragically putting both lives and rescue operations at risk.

That heartbreaking lesson led to the PETS Act of 2006, requiring disaster plans to include animals. Because when pets are safe, people are safer too.

At DARTCC, we’ve taken that lesson to heart. Our EASApp platform helps emergency managers plan evacuations that keep families—pets included—together. With real-time shelter capacity, pet tracking, and reunification tools, we’re ensuring no one gets left behind.

Technology can’t stop disasters, but it can make our response more humane, resilient, and effective. And sometimes, protecting what people love most is what saves lives.

👉 How does your community integrate pets into emergency planning?

https://www.npr.org/2025/08/26/nx-s1-5467727/hurricane-katrina-pets-animal-rescue-disaster

08/29/2025

🐾 Every second counts in a disaster—and so does every pet.

EASApp has already helped save lives, but it’s only on Android. We’re raising $10,000 to launch the iOS version so every volunteer can use it, no matter their device. 📲

✨ Your gift = more pets safe, more families together, more lives saved.

🙏 Donate today & help us bring EASApp to the Apple App Store:
https://giving.classy.org/campaign/715989/donate

07/12/2025

🛠️ Disasters Don’t Just Affect People — They Affect Pets Too.

When we talk about preparedness, we mean everyone. That includes pets, animals, and the communities that love them.

But even the best local plan can fall apart without national support.

We need fully funded, fully staffed emergency systems—because no one should be left behind in a storm.

📞 Call Congress. Demand investment in FEMA, NOAA, and the National Weather Service.

When devastating floods swept through Central Texas, Austin Pets Alive jumped into action rescuing pets, reuniting families and offering priceless services for lost animals. With more than 3,500 volunteers and a mission to prevent pet deaths, the team is proving that in the chaos of disaster, compas...