The California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and the California Veterinary Medical Foundation (CVMF) were selected by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal-OES) to implement a statewide emergency animal sheltering preparedness cache project. The CVMF is the recipient of the $1,000,000 grant, which will be administered by the CVMA.

The project will place emergency animal sheltering supply caches throughout the state to provide local responders with key supplies needed to help the public’s animals during emergency response and recovery. Cargo containers will be stocked with non-perishable items, such as ID bands, leashes, cages, disposable bowls, kitty litter, zip ties, clip boards, rolling carts, and others. These caches will serve an immediate need for animal disaster response that is critical during a state of emergency.

The CVMA placed six caches in a pilot project with Cal-OES in 2012, which has successfully helped animals during recent disasters. The goal for this grant is to place an additional 52 caches, thereby securing a cache in every county in California. The project will take place over the course of the next eighteen months and will involve collaboration with county municipal animal service agencies that are responsible for disaster management planning and response. The CVMA will identify recipient county animal service departments, coordinate competitive bids for cache item procurement, facilitate cache assembly, and schedule delivery to host locations.

The CVMA has a long standing history of dedication to helping animals in disasters and this project furthers that objective. We are pleased that the Governor recognized the importance of helping animals in disasters and chose to expand the caches throughout the state.