Sumter Disaster Animal Response Team Inc

720 East Southland Ave
Bushnell, Fl 33513
1-352-793-4477

Our equipment is some of the most unique in the country. After Florida suffered from drought and wildfires in 1998, we knew that bigger and better was the answer to our problems when rescuing animals. Back in 98 we used pickup trucks with livestock trailers. Today we have specialized trucks and trailers to house the rescued animals and also to transport them inland or wherever they need to go.

Hurricane Charley found us using the Drag Racing team's equipment the Ronnie and Linda Graves owned to help with the rescues in Punta Gorda. We provided a trailer that became a base of operations for the Humane Society of the United States, Charlotte County Animal Control, and the Florida Dept of Agriculture, along with another trailer that housed our rescued critters

We drove down to Englewood Florida right after Hurricane Charley hit. We had to wait until the State gave us our tasking number. A number of volunteers gathered together with as much equipment as we could muster up to help. When we got there to the Humane Society in Englewood, you would have thought that the cavalry had arrived. Everybody was amazed to see us coming in with all of our equipment. It was a beautiful sight. Crews started unloading all of the animals and transporting them to Pinellas county. Connie Brooks was receiving them and by doing so was making room to use Englewood as a staging area to bring animals to for holding in the area. We unhooked two of the trucks from their trailers and headed into Punta Gorda to find Animal Control Director, Keith. We tried to explain the type of equipment, but Keith could not fathom it. He assigned one of his officers to take us around town to find a suitable location to set up. We chose a county recreation park due to it's size and location to everything. We set about clearing the lot of all debris which took chainsaws and a lot of muscle work. Everyone chipped in and we got it done.

We then went to get our equipment and move it in. Keith and his assistant Brian were shocked when we rolled up. Their Animal Control office was trashed so we gave them our 28 foot enclosed trailer with air to use for a base of operations. The Florida Dept. of Agriculture came down and used our Kenworth Motorhome along with HSUS as a base of operations. We used about 8 portable generators and found out quickly that they burn up in extreme heat and use. They were never designed to run 24-7.

Animal rescues went great. We used the ball fields to enclose cattle and goats until their owners were located. Ronnie and Linda adopted a female goat and named her Carmella, who surprised us with a baby the following January. She got named Windy. Even baby raccoons and squirrels went through our compound. Volunteers from all over Florida showed up in portable spay and neuter clinics and vet clinic trailers to help. It was the best response that we had ever seen and Charlotte county was more than happy to have us there. They wound up delivering fuel and water to us on a daily basis after they got their truck running.

It was at this rescue that Ronnie had a change of life. A 12 year old Beagle (of course it had to be a Beagle, Ronnie's favorite breed that he has 4 of)  came into camp after normal hours with two older women in a Ford pickup and she had been hit by a car. The emergency vet was open so we called over there. They said first off that it was $65.00 to walk through their doors plus the actual care required. These ladies had no money. Ronnie took $200.00 out of his pocket and gave it to them. They wanted his address but he would not give it out. This act convinced him to sell his drag racing team and start funding the Sumter DART team. Needless to say his wife Linda was ecstatic.

This is where the animals were brought to first. They were
then sent to Englewood where they were kept so
folks could find their pets.

Thank you very much