top of page
Search

Cal CARTs 2026 Leadership and Training Summit Unites 160 Animal Responders Statewide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 24, 2026


Cal CARTs 2026 Leadership and Training Summit Unites 160 Animal Responders Statewide

Sixth Annual Summit Advances Standardization of Animal Disaster and Emergency Response Across Northern and Southern California


Friant, CA — More than 160 animal responders from across California gathered March 17-18 at Table Mountain Casino and Resort in Friant for the 2026 California Community Animal Response Teams Leadership and Training Summit. The venue was chosen to draw participants from both Northern and Southern California, reflecting Cal CARTs’ commitment to uniting a statewide animal emergency response umbrella.


Over the past decade, California has endured a series of deadly, wind-driven wildfires that have forced the mass evacuation of residents with pets and livestock. Cal CARTs aims to close the response gap for animals, and enhance integration of animal responders into county emergency plans.


The annual summit series was launched in 2020 in the wake of the deadly Camp Fire. Each successive gathering has built upon shared lessons learned, training programs and objectives to advance the animal component of disaster and emergency response. CARTs across the state have been working together to standardize titles and training to effectively assist care of various species of animals in the shelters and in the field.


The annual summits have facilitated development of Animal Emergency Response (AER) Titles and training recommendations designed to bolster the capacity to care for animals in shelters and those left behind during disasters. Cal CARTs, in collaboration with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Cal Animals, and the California Veterinary Emergency Team continue to refine these titles and develop training to support them.


This sixth summit brought together animal control officers, the California Veterinary Emergency Team, emergency managers, law enforcement, humane organizations and CART volunteers to share agency updates, discuss the future of animal response teams, and review standardized sheltering training materials. 


On day one of the Summit, State agency representatives from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Cal OES, the California Veterinary Emergency Team and CalAnimals provided updates, joined by national organizations including the ASPCA, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and American Humane Rescue. Lessons learned from the 2025 LA wildfires, and multiple disaster responses across the state highlighted the need for better integration of the animal component of response into disaster plans; as well as the need for funding to support those plans.


Law enforcement and emergency management perspectives on the role of CARTs during disasters were shared by representatives from Nevada County, and national partners addressed the future of disaster response. Participants also reviewed AB 478, the FOUND Act, which seeks to address funding and enforcement for the inclusion of animals in emergency planning at the county level.


“If we want animal response to truly work during disasters, it has to be built at the local level, before an incident ever happens. Counties that integrate animal response into their emergency plans, train alongside their partners, and define roles ahead of time are the ones best positioned to protect both people and animals when it matters most”, said Stefanie Geckler, president of Cal CARTs. 

Summit participants engaged in an Animal Care Specialist (ACS) Shelter large scale intake tabletop exercise in a simulated mutual aid deployment. They worked together to practice animal assessment, intake, and biosecurity across various species. This was the first in a planned series of trainings to support the Animal Emergency Response (AER) titles and standardize training materials. Future summits will likely offer standardized AER training opportunities for CART teams, animal control officers, and integrated animal responders.


On the second day of the Summit, participants learned about animal shelter biosecurity for small and large animals, which is a critical component of keeping sheltered animals healthy under the stress of evacuation. Grant funding was discussed and participants were provided a checklist to prepare for grant readiness, as well as an update on how Greater Good Charities can support disaster response. The third workshop session presented the use of AI as a practical tool for organizing training materials and volunteer operations, with consideration of confidentiality and proper AI use guidelines. The fourth session offered strategies for stress management and resilience among animal welfare professionals and highlighted the mental toll animal responders face. 


Subsequently, participants were updated on the use of Shelterly, a disaster preparedness and response operating system that was developed specifically to track animals and response teams during emergencies and disasters. Shelterly streamlines information during an incident, increasing efficiency while allowing responders to focus on what truly matters—ensuring the safety and well-being of every animal. Shelterly continues to evolve, using feedback from animal responders and has created several new updates which will facilitate compliance with the Found Act.


“With each summit, we see the animal response community becoming more cohesive, more capable, and more integrated with the broader emergency response system,” said Dr. Claudia Sonder, DVM, vice president of Cal CARTs. “This year’s gathering reflects how far we’ve come, and reinforces how much work remains to ensure animals are never an afterthought in disaster planning.”

California is uniquely positioned to establish a scalable animal response template effectively integrated with first responders who hold the essential role of prioritizing human safety. The 2026 Cal CARTs Leadership and Training Summit deepened participant expertise through hands-on training, shared field insights, and meaningful cross-agency collaboration. Most importantly, it advanced focused conversations on closing the animal response gap heading into the 2026 disaster season.




About Cal CARTs

Cal CARTs serves as an umbrella organization for Community Animal Response Teams (CARTs) across California. CART volunteers are formally integrated into emergency operation plans, undergo background checks, complete a rigorous animal care and handling training program, and are Fireline trained for field deployment. For more information, visit www.calcarts.org.


Media Contact: 

Dr. Claudia Sonder, DVM

Vice President, Cal CARTs


###


 
 
bottom of page