The Kansas State Animal Response Team is hosting the first statewide Kansas Animal Response Exercise (KARE). This event is OPEN to ANYONE interested in learning more about how animals are cared for during and after a disaster. No previous training is required!

The event will be at Crisis City, near Salina from October 14th through October 17th. Registration is required by October 7th.

“We are excited to offer this first-ever hands-on weekend-long animal response exercise in Kansas,” said Mary Prewitt, Kansas State Animal Response Team President.

Saturday is full of activities including small animal sheltering, large animal handling, skills drills and Incident Command staff training for animal response. Veterinarians and veterinary technicians will have a unique opportunity to receive continuing education credits with high-quality training on small, large, and exotic animals.  Training is provided by nationally recognized instructors with disaster preparedness, response, and recovery experience. The disaster response exercise will commence on Sunday. The exercise will introduce attendees to the emotional and physical challenge of emergency response when disaster strikes.

Pets are the number one reason why people will not evacuate during a disaster putting themselves, and rescuers, in danger. The Kansas Department of Emergency Management encourages all Kansans to ‘Make a Plan’ for their family in the event of a disaster. That plan should include your pets.

If you are unable to attend as a participant or observer we ask that you take this time, during national Disaster Preparedness Month, to review your family disaster response plans and contact your local or regional Animal Response Team to learn how your community is prepared!

For more information on Animal Response Teams in Kansas, visit kssart.org/response-teams.

To register for this exercise and for more information, please go to kssart.org/2016kare.