History of Animal Response

1999 Hurricane Floyd

The state animal response team (SART) model originated in North Carolina.  Over three million pets, livestock, and poultry perished in that event, a figure that could have been substantially reduced with a coordinated emergency plan to address animal and agricultural animal issues.

2003 The SART Program is Shared

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation hosted a pilot presentation of the North Carolina state animal response  model in Colorado.  An audience of over 60 different state agencies and non-governmental organizations spent two days assimilating and planning.

2004 Kansas Steps Up

• 2004 the Kansas State Animal Response Team begins as a steering committee, through an initiative of the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association.
• 2007 the team officially forms as a non-profit  501(c)(3) organization to guide and support development of county animal response teams (CARTs) across Kansas.  There are 105 counties in Kansas and the realization came quickly that this was a daunting task.
• 2011 the Kansas State Animal Response Team shifts focus to encourage and support regional development organizing under the seven regions identified by Homeland Security.
• 2019 the Kansas State Animal Response Team and the existing regional teams; KCMetro, Northeast, South Central, Southeast, and Southwest  join to form a single, cohesive state team known as the Kansas State Animal Response Team.