NEAR 90 THIS
*PHI*) SUSAN HOBBS IS
HERE, BROUGHT TO YOU BY PET
PALS TV... ALSO WITH US.. DR.
MARK PETERSMAN.. FROM NOAH'S
ANIMAL HOSPITAL. THEY'RE HERE
TO TALK ABOUT A NEW
PARTNERSHIP NOAH'S HAS WITH
THE FRIENDS OF INDIANAPOLIS
CARE SERVICES.. AND INDY
CARES. 1. WHAT IS DART? DART
IS THE DOMESTIC ANIMAL
RESPONSE TEAM PROGRAM THAT WAS
FIRST PROPOSED BY THE
INDIANAPOLIS FIRE DEPARTMENT
AND WORKS TO ASSISTANCE OUR
FOUR LEGGED FRIENDS IN THE
EVENT OF A HOUSE FIRE OR
VEHICLE ACCIDENT. 2. WHAT
HAPPENS TO ANIMALS LEFT BEHIND
WHEN OWNERS ARE TAKEN TO THE
HOSPITAL. DURING MANY
TRAGEDIES SUCH AS THESE, DOGS
AND CATS ARE LEFT BEHIND WHEN
OWNERS ARE TAKEN TO THE
HOSPITAL. THERE MAY NOT BE
FAMILY OR FRIENDS AVAILABLE OR
WILLING TO ASSIST WITH THE
PET, SO HISTORICALLY THE PET
WAS TAKEN TO THE ANIMAL
SHELTER. IN ADDITION, SOME
TEMPORARY HOUSING/SHELTER
UNITS MAY NOT ALLOW THE
DISPLACED FAMILY TO BRING A
DOG OR CAT. 3. ANYONE ELSE IN
THE NATION DOING THIS? BY
PARTNERING WITH INDYCARES
(COMPANION ANIMAL RESOURCES
EDUCATION AND SUPPORT) AND
FAMILY OWNED NOAH'S ANIMAL
HOSPITALS, THE INDIANAPOLIS
FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS HELPED
CREATE A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP TO
HELP PETS AFFECTED BY
HOUSEFIRE AND OTHER TRAGEDIES.
TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THIS IS A
FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE
NATION. 4. IS IFD TRAINED?
PERSONNEL HAVE RECEIVED
TRAINING IN BASIC LIFE SUPPORT
FOR PETS BY NOAH'S ANIMAL
HOSPITALS. ON SCENE, IFD
FIREFIGHTERS AND EMS PERSONNEL
CAN ASSESS A PET AND THEN
TRANSPORT THAT PET TO A NOAH'S
ANIMAL HOSPITAL FOR CARE AND
TREATMENT. NOAH'S WILL THEN
ASSESS THE PET AND PROVIDE ANY
NEEDED MEDICAL TREATMENT. 5.
WHO PROVIDES FINANCIAL
RESOURCES? INDYCARES WILL
PROVIDE THE FINANCIAL
RESOURCES TO CARE FOR THESE
PETS FOR UP TO 48 HOURS AT THE
ANIMAL HOSPITAL. THEN, BASED
ON THE NEEDS OF THE OWNER AND
FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH THE
OWNER, THE PET CAN BE
TRANSFERRED TO INDIANAPOLIS
ANIMAL CARE SERVICES FOR
BOARDING UNTIL THEY CAN BE
REUNITED WITH THE OWNER. THIS
IS DONE AT NO COST TO THE
ALREADY AFFECTED FAMILY. 6.
WHAT IF LONGER CARE IS NEEDED?
IF LONGER MEDICAL CARE IS
NEEDED, NOAH'S WILL WORK WITH
THE OWNER TO ADDRESS THE
MEDICAL CONCERNS OF THE PET.
7. WHAT HAPPENS IF A PET DIES?
IN THE EVENT OF A PET DYING IN
ONE OF THESE SITUATIONS, IFD
WILL TRANSPORT THE PET'S BODY
TO A NOAH'S HOSPITAL. FROM
THERE, THE PET WILL BE
CREMATED AND THE ASHES WILL BE
RETURNED TO THE FAMILY. AGAIN,
THIS IS DONE AT NO CHARGE. 8.
HOW MANY PETS HAVE BEEN HELPED
SO FAR? SINCE IT'S INCEPTION
IN MARCH, THE DART PROGRAM HAS
HELPED MORE THAN A DOZEN PETS
AFFECTED BY HOUSEFIRES. DON'T
FORGET YOU CAN WATCH PET PALS
TV ON SATURDAYS AT 10:30 A.M.,
RIGHT HERE ON WISH-TV. YOU CAN
ALSO GO TO PETPALSTV.COM.
