POWAY, Calif. — San Diego Humane Society's Emergency Response Team is preparing to become heroes during our next wildfire. The team is practicing animal rescues.
They practice with horses, for instance, because not all horses are comfortable being loading into trailers. And the time to work on your technique is ahead of time, not when you're surrounded by smoke and flames.
On Sunday, June 13, the team practiced loading and unloading horses at the Poway Valley Riders Association, taking them to the Poway Rodeo where special evacuation stables are located, then loading them back up and returning them home.
The Emergency Response Team is trained to work behind fire lines, directed by an Incident Command Unit.
And they aren't just focused on big animals. Goats, mini-horses, dogs and even chickens are rounded up and rescued.
The San Diego Humane Society has this online guide to help owners of animals of all sizes get prepared.
