Training

CDART offers a basic introductory training course and in-depth training courses for volunteers.

Volunteer Requirements

The basic training requirements that a new volunteer must complete in order to be qualified to take part in a disaster response are:

Introduction to Emergency Pet Services Course
Introduction to Emergency Social Services (ESS) Modules 1 & 2
ESS Registration Forms and Referrals Course

Until the above are completed, you can still be a volunteer with CDART and work in many different capacities during non-disaster times. During an actual disaster response, you would be able to participate in a somewhat limited capacity as a convergent volunteer.

Find out more about additional training opportunities.

"Introduction to Emergency Pet Services" Course

Once called ("We're Family, Too ") this is an introductory course explaining and working through the administrative part of emergency animal rescue procedure and protocol when a disaster strikes or when emergencies happen.

You don't have to be an existing registered CDART volunteer in order to be able to take this course. Some people take the course first and then decide to become a volunteer.

Introduction to Emergency Pet Services training 2010

Detailed information on upcoming course dates and registration forms are always posted here as they become available.

The next available date for this course is:

Saturday, February 18, 2012 - Kelowna, BC

If you are interested in setting up another training date, please let us know!

Kelowna Course:

Date: Saturday, February 18, 2012
Time: 9am - 5pm - dress comfortably
Lunch: Please bring a lunch and any snacks you may require
Venue: Kelowna Fire Station #1, 2255 Enterprise Way, Kelowna, BC
Cost: $35.00 per person. Returning, trained CDART volunteers are welcome at no charge but you must register.
Registration: You can download the form here, print and send with cheque payment to:

Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team
113 – 437 Martin Street
Penticton, BC V2A 5L1

Any questions? Contact Deborah Silk at deborah.silk@cdart.org or call 250-493-9752

Introduction to Emergency Social Services (ESS) Course

The Introduction to Emergency Social Services (ESS) Modules 1 & 2 course is available throughout the year, either online or through correspondence. This course is offered through the Justice Institute of BC (www.jibc.ca).

This is a free course and is open to the public for anyone to take. View course info on the JIBC web site.

ESS Registration Forms & Referrals Course

Our local Emergency Social Services providers offer training on how to fill out their Registration Forms and Referrals Forms (the "people" forms) several times throughout the year.

This is a free course and is open to the public for anyone to take.

On occasion, an ESS representative may join us at a CDART monthly meeting and provide this course during the meeting for our volunteers as a refresher.

We will post information about the next available course/s here, as soon as ESS sets a date, time and location.

Additional Training

There is more in-depth training which prepares members to function as a team and to physically perform in a disaster with specific animals. In addition, CDART members attend conferences and meetings where they are participants or speakers or both.

Some of the additional training opportunities include:

Emergency First Aid for Companion Animals Course

Emergency First Aid for Companion Animals Course

Some of the skills and knowledge participants will gain include pet CPR, choking, poisoning, allergic reactions, wound care, signs and symptoms of shock, dehydration, seizures and much more.

We will be offering Pet First aid courses on an ongoing basis and will post the information for next available courses here when dates are set.

If you are interested in taking this course in the future, please let us know now! E-mail Sandee Kristensen at sandee.kristensen@cdart.org if you are in the Okanagan area, or info@cdart.org if you are outside the Okanagan area.