Joybound People & Pets Hosts West Coast Animal Disaster Preparedness Workshop
ASAR owner and Lead Instructor Eric Thompson speaks to participants at the Joybound People & Pets Animal Disaster Preparedness Workshop.
On June 3 and 4, Joybound People & Pets teamed up with Animal Search and Rescue (ASAR), a national animal rescue organization, to host an immersive, two-day, hands-on Animal Disaster Preparedness Workshop focused on real-world training, peer collaboration, and strategic planning for animal rescues during emergency situations. The workshop was held on Joybound’s campus at 2890 Mitchell Drive in Shadelands and drew more than 80 West coast animal welfare and emergency response professionals.
Joybound CEO Susan Lee Vick welcomed attendees to the June 3 & 4 Animal Disaster Preparedness Workshop held in the Nestlé Purina Training Pavilion on Joybound’s campus.
Led by workshop speakers Eric Thompson, ASAR owner and lead instructor, and Greg Marshal, ASAR instructor and task force lead, the animal rescue and recovery workshop was open to animal control officers, veterinary professionals, shelter teams, Community Animal Response Teams (CART), Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DART), emergency planners, first responders, and other professional animal welfare responders.
During a breakout session, Dr. Wailani Sung, Senior Director of Animal Admissions and Well-being at Joybound People & Pets, participated in a group exercise in which realistic disaster scenarios were posed and discussed.
With more than 80 guests in attendance, representing 30 different animal organizations, the workshop was part of Joybound’s collaborative efforts to help ensure response teams across the West Coast are trained, coordinated, and ready when disaster strikes.
After the breakout sessions, participants came back together to share their emergency response suggestions, plans, and protocols with the entire assembly of workshop attendees.
The June 3 workshop emphasized field safety, situational awareness, interoperability, and operational discipline. The June 4 workshop focused on execution, as the group split into teams to run a series of realistic disaster scenarios, applying their knowledge to potential real-world recoveries during emergency situations in Southern and Northern California. Participants left with actionable plans for their teams and specific geographic environments.
If you would like to volunteer with an animal response team, contact California Community Animal Response Teams (Cal Carts): Contra Costa CART, Napa CART, Solano CART, or similar organizations near you.
The educational workshop was sponsored by Bay Alarm Company, and Joybound partners Animal Search and Rescue, American Humane Society, ASPCA, California Veterinary Emergency Team, and The HALTER Project.
