The chihuahua was pregnant and the kitten had inhaled smoke.

Rescuing animals is a part of an emergency response that really matters to the people who own them. Earlier this year, responding to a fire in Cressona, Schuylkill County's Animal Response Team cared for a pregnant dog and kitten, transporting them to receive veterinary care.Assisting pet owners with their animals, large and small, during an emergency evacuation, or retrieving animals from areas which have been evacuated are part of the duties of the Schuylkill CART. Leaders, volunteers and interested citizens met Tuesday night at Ringtown Valley Veterinary Hospital, Ringtown, for an Animal Disaster Preparedness Clinic.Today is the national Animal Emergency Response day, and the Schuylkill CART (www.schuylkillcart.com) will have an informational booth at the Schuylkill Mall, Frackville."After Katrina, responders learned that the number one reason people refuse to evacuate is that they don't want to leave their pets behind," said Jay Woodford, Schuylkill CART Coordinator (jay@schuylkillcart.com, 570-449-1932).He and Candy DeWald, CART Safety Officer, led the clinic. "You never know what could happen that could cause you to have to evacuate; around here, the most common thing is flooding, but it can also be wildfires, house fires or even tornadoes."The Schuylkill CART operates under the umbrella of the Pennsylvania State Animal Response Team, which is part of the state Emergency Management Agency's "Ready PA" program. Woodford said that according to statistics, 70 percent of households have a pet, so it makes good sense to include pet care in a Family Emergency Plan.During an emergency, a county animal response team will set up an emergency pet shelter adjacent to an emergency shelter for humans. Pets will be crated and volunteers will care for them until they can be reunited with their humans and returned home.To learn the location of emergency shelters in the county, residents can check www.ready-schuylkill.org. The Schuylkill CART does not voluntarily respond to emergencies; the group must be activated by the county Emergency Management Agency.What can pet owners do to be prepared for an emergency? Woodford detailed the basics for a pet disaster kit: food and water for three days for each animal, medications, pet first aid kit, collar with identification tags and leash, records for vaccinations and pet ownership, a crate or carrier, cleanup and sanitation supplies and a picture of the owner and pet/pets together. For more information on a pet emergency kit, check

www.pasart.com"Having a picture of you with your pet makes it much easier to reunite the pet with the owner," Woodford said. "When you have a temporary shelter full of animals, there may be many who look alike, such as black labs."Dr. Ron Bernhard, VMD, Ringtown Valley Vet Hospital, volunteered to print an informative brochure about the Schuylkill CART using the clinic's printer and make it available to pet owners at the RVVH and also at veterinary clinics throughout the county. Woodford said that was a great idea which would greatly benefit pet owners."In the past year, we've had four activations and we're always looking to increase awareness of the program and also get more volunteers," he said. "Unfortunately, we're one of the best-kept secrets in Schuylkill County."