Payne CART Receives ASPCA® Grant

Monday, January 23, 2017

Payne County Animal Response Team (CART) recently received a $5,000 Midwestern Disaster Resiliency grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®). The funds will be used to purchase disaster sheltering supplies to be stored in a disaster response trailer purchased by Lincoln CART and stored in a place accessible by both counties. The ASPCA® is working with various organizations across the country to help them increase their ability to respond to disasters involving animals while maximizing their resources.

“This is great news for the region,” says Dr. Daniel Burba, interim head of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences and Director of the Payne CART. “We have many faculty and staff members who volunteer in various capacities with Payne CART. Having a disaster response trailer will help in the immediate triage and transport of animals injured during disasters such as tornados.”

The Veterinary Medical Hospital may be a receiver of injured animals in disaster situations.

The grant proposal was a team effort with the primary author being the veterinary center’s Dr. Elisabeth Giedt, director of continuing education, extension and community engagement. Special thanks to the following people for their role in securing this funding:

Emily Snow, administrative support, OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
Michael DeRemer, Local Emergency Response Coordinator for the Medical Reserve Corps
Jeff Kuhn, Payne County Emergency Management Director
Jackie Ross Guerrero, Shelter Director for the Humane Society of Stillwater
Mary Dickey, Director of Animal Welfare of Stillwater
Dr. Alicia Gorczyca Southerland, staff veterinarian, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry

For more information on disaster relief efforts, contact Payne CART through the Facebook page.