OBCF Grant Helps Equip First Responders with Emergency Pet Rescue Kits

By Sam Walker

When firefighters respond to a house fire or law enforcement officers arrive at a serious crash, rescuing frightened pets can pose dangers not only to the animals but also to first responders trying to save them.

A new program funded by a grant from the Outer Banks Community Foundation (OBCF) aims to change that.

The Community Foundation recently awarded a $10,000 Community Enrichment Grant to the Eastern North Carolina SPCA, allowing the nonprofit to assemble and distribute PAWmergency Safety Kits to emergency responders throughout Dare County.

The kits provide firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and law enforcement officers with equipment specifically designed to safely capture, restrain, and care for pets encountered during emergencies.

“The OBCF grant made it possible to equip Dare County first responders with items to contain pets in emergencies such as fires and automobile accidents,” said Eastern North Carolina SPCA Vice President Pam Anderson. “When first responders have the equipment in the PAWmergency Safety Kit on scene during emergencies, it can reduce the time they spend in harm’s way trying to extract a traumatized pet. This initiative will provide first responders with items that will protect them from being injured by a traumatized pet, and keep the pet from further harm through safe restraint.”

This was the Eastern North Carolina SPCA’s first time receiving a grant from the Community Foundation.

“We are grateful to the donors behind the William Walter Reams Memorial Fund, the Schiffman Fund for Animals, Helping People Help Animals, the All God’s Creatures Fund, and the Adams/Brown Fund for Animals, whose enduring generosity makes this grant possible,” said OBCF Board Director Cathy Baldwin. “Their collective commitment to the well-being of animals helps organizations like the Eastern North Carolina SPCA strengthen their lifesaving work and create a more compassionate community.”

The grant represents one of the first major projects undertaken by the Eastern North Carolina SPCA, which Anderson founded as a resource organization focused on helping families keep pets in their homes and reducing the number of animals entering already overcrowded shelters.

Unlike traditional animal rescue organizations, the nonprofit does not operate a shelter.

Instead, it works to remove barriers that often lead pet owners to surrender animals by connecting families with resources, volunteers, and affordable services.

“I formed the Eastern North Carolina SPCA to be a resource and support organization,” said Anderson.

The PAWmergency Safety Kit project grew from a simple idea.

One of the organization’s board members shared a social media story about a police department that had successfully rescued a loose dog after receiving a donated leash.

Anderson said she immediately thought emergency responders needed much more than that.

“We looked at that and said, ‘We can do better than that,'” she said.

Working with local police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders, the organization developed a kit tailored to the situations they most often encounter.

Each kit contains two types of leashes, adjustable collars, three sizes of harnesses, seven different muzzle sizes, collapsible water bowls, and what Anderson calls a “quick contain bag” — a heavy-duty drawstring bag that can safely secure frightened cats and small dogs during rescues.

The kits are intended to help first responders safely remove pets from burning buildings, contain animals after vehicle crashes, and prevent loose pets from creating additional hazards.

One of the biggest advantages, Anderson said, is reducing the amount of time firefighters or police officers spend trying to catch terrified animals during dangerous situations.

The project has already equipped Dare County fire departments, EMS agencies, and municipal police departments with the kits. 

Anderson said the organization is now supplying kits to the Dare County Sheriff’s Office and is in the process of distributing kits to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

The program has also evolved beyond its original purpose.

Following a major fire at the Shallowbag Bay condos in Manteo, Anderson said a pet owner contacted her explaining that although their family and dog survived, they had no leash or collar available after escaping the fire.

That conversation prompted the organization to encourage first responders to give replacement equipment from the bags to pet owners when needed.

“So now we’ve asked the departments, ‘Please give these items to people in these emergencies,'” Anderson said. “That was another piece we hadn’t even thought about until it happened.”

The Community Foundation grant also sparked broader community support.

Ocean Atlantic Rentals donated $500 to the project, while Outer Banks Box provided collapsible water bowls for every kit assembled.

Anderson said the visibility created by the grant recently led to an unexpected $20,000 donation from a Raleigh visitor interested in supporting the organization’s mission after learning about the emergency kits.

The additional funding will allow the nonprofit to sponsor a large spay-and-neuter event in partnership with local animal welfare organizations while continuing to expand the PAWmergency program.

She credited the Outer Banks Community Foundation with turning what began as an idea into a countywide public safety initiative.

“Without the Outer Banks Community Foundation, this project never would have happened,” Anderson said. “We tried to do individual fundraising on our own and were not successful.”

She said the grant’s impact has extended well beyond the equipment itself.

“The grant money has gone so much further than just putting those kits in the hands of first responders,” Anderson said. “It’s also allowed us to educate the public about what they can do individually. That’s priceless.”

Looking ahead, Anderson said the Eastern North Carolina SPCA hopes to help other communities establish similar emergency pet rescue programs while continuing its broader mission of reducing pet overpopulation through affordable veterinary care, community education, and programs that help families keep their animals.

“Our entire mission is to reduce the overpopulation of companion pets so we’re not euthanizing healthy animals,” Anderson said. “Everything we do is designed to help accomplish that.”

The Outer Banks Community Foundation’s next grant application deadline is Friday, July 31 for Community Enrichment Grants, which are open to all types of projects with no restrictions on scope or focus, with funding requests up to $10,000. Nonprofits are encouraged to visit the Community Foundation’s website for detailed guidelines, eligibility criteria, and the application portal. Early submissions are encouraged to allow time for review and feedback.

For more information or assistance with the grant application process, visit OBCF.org/grants or contact the staff at 252-423-3003.

About the Outer Banks Community Foundation: The Outer Banks Community Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to fostering philanthropy and supporting local causes. Through its charitable funds and grant programs, the Foundation strives to enrich the quality of life for residents of the Outer Banks.