GET INVOLVED
Becoming credentialed with DART involves a daylong training session at the UT extension office off Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga. In addition to classroom training, there are online courses from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that can be done at your own pace.
Source: Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department
By Ryan Lewis
Correspondent
JASPER, Tenn. — When disasters strike, it’s not just people who are affected.
The Disaster Animal Response Team tends to the welfare of pets and livestock in times of catastrophe. Marion County commissioners were asked at their January meeting to place the organization under the county’s oversight.
“The DART team is not asking for any money,” said Marion County team representative Brenda Payne, “but we would like to fall under the county’s umbrella so we could use the county’s nonprofit status to do fundraising.”
Ms. Payne told commissioners that the group is comprised solely of credentialed volunteers and was created by the federal government in response to several disasters in the last decade.
She said the group is not an animal shelter.
“DART is not an adoption agency, and it’s not a full-time animal control service for the county,” she said. “Basically, DART is for animals what the Red Cross is for people.”
Placing the organization under the county’s control also would allow it to be covered under the county’s insurance and would let the team use county equipment and supplies during a crisis, officials said.
“It is a requirement of federal law that the county has one of these response teams in place,” Marion County Attorney Billy Gouger said. “We looked at several different options, one being allowing it to be a county operation or a sub-agency of the county.”
Mr. Gouger said the county also considered putting the animal response team under the Marion County Sheriff’s Department’s control, since it already is working to bring an animal shelter to the county.
Commissioners said they plan to reach a decision on where to place the group by the end of February.
“I think we probably all agree that we want to do what’s best, but I think we need to determine where to put them within the county government,” said Marion County Commission Chairman Gene Hargis. “I feel comfortable that when we talk to the appropriate heads of different offices, we’ll see where they need to be.”
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com
Or login with:
New Account