12/08/2025
Animal Disaster Team hosts Pet First Aid courses
Blackstone Valley - The Central Massachusetts Disaster Animal Response Team, Inc. (CMDART, Inc) in collaboration with the Community Foundation of North Central Mass is hosting a Pet First Aid course at Berlin Fire Dept. December 13th, 10-4. They just completed one in Winchendon and Fitchburg. and hope to hold more in the Southern Worcester County area in the new year. The course covers a Snout To Tail assessment of dogs and cats, pet vital signs, heat and cold emergencies, CPR, making a pet first aid kit, assessing animals during and post disaster (especially for fires), making a pet first aid kit and much more.
Linda Wood is an instructor with Pet Tech, an established pet first aid program of 20 plus years. Linda is the Assistant Animal Control Officer, working with her husband, Paul, for the town of Clinton for the past 13 years. She owns and runs Pawsitively Pets in Bolton and has been in animal care for more than 42 years. Linda holds a degree in Canine Science and Kennel business management and has been doing pet boarding, grooming, and pet daycare for 20 years.
The goal of these courses is to help pet owners reduce the costs of medical treatment for their pets by learning some basic skills that might prevent a veterinary visit. “We are also trying to reduce the numbers of animals being surrendered or abandoned because people cannot afford to keep them.” , Linda said. “This has become an epidemic and a disaster in and of itself. You then add an emergency incident, like a fire, flood, hurricane, snowstorm, or economic change, and the crisis is even worse.”
While the course has a fee for general attendance, there is also a scholarship fund for individuals living on voucher programs or those who are subsidized in some way. The scholarship fund is part of a grant from the Community Foundation of North Central Mass awarded to CMDART this year. Individuals must demonstrate need for subsidy. Register at www.pawsitivelypets.net or call 508-803-1989 for more information. Please DO NOT contact the fire departments to get information about these courses. Five continuing education credits are being offered to Animal control Officers.
CMDART was established in 2003 and became an incorporated non-profit in 2007. assisting Emergency Management agencies, the American Red Cross (ARC), Departments of Public Health, and Animal Control officers with trained animal disaster responders when emergencies overwhelm a local community’s ability to manage the incident. CMDART helped during the ice storm of 2008, the Western Mass tornado of 2011, the Leominster floods September 2023 and many other incidents over their 24 years. Trained volunteers assist with emergency pet shelters, distribution of emergency pet supplies, offer training, and public prevention education. CMDART helps local communities comply with the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS ACT), a federal law first established in October 2006 following Katrina and enacted as a Massachusetts law in 2014. This law requires local and state emergency preparedness authorities to include household pets and service animals in their evacuation plans. Animals affected by disasters can include small and large animals such as pets, livestock and exotics.
Fires and pet owners have been at the forefront of one of CMDART’s goals over the years. The team has helped the ARC by sponsoring a supply of cardboard pet carriers, leashes and bowls, pet food as well as offering emotional aftercare support for those pet owners whose pets have been compromised or perished in recent fires.
CMDART is taking registration for individuals who might be interested in becoming a volunteer animal disaster responder or helping out in other ways. Go to www.cmdart.org and click on volunteering. You must be available to assist within Worcester County.
CMDART depends solely upon grants and private contributions to fulfill its mission. For more information about making a tax-deductible contribution of any size contact www.cmdart.org and click on donate or call 508-803-1989 .
