The Orange County Animal Response Team (OCART) was born out of necessity, determination, and a deep commitment to protecting the region’s large animals in times of crisis.

For years, large animal emergency response in Orange County lacked comprehensive countywide coverage. While a previous group, LART (Large Animal Response Team), had served an important role, as of January 2024 their scope became limited to San Juan Capistrano, their governing city. This left the rest of Orange County’s equestrian and large animal community without a coordinated emergency response solution.

Recognizing this critical gap, we set out to ensure that all large animals across Orange County would be protected in the event of wildfire, flood, or disaster.

What began as an idea quickly revealed itself to be a much larger challenge. We had no idea the complexity involved—nor that others had been attempting to establish a countywide program for over 30 years. What followed were countless meetings, persistent advocacy, and more hurdles than we could have imagined. A focus group of equestrians representing cities across Orange County with large horse communities was formed. These experienced horse owners and handlers became instrumental in shaping and delivering our training programs. But we remained focused on one goal: building a reliable, trained, and organized response team for the entire county.

In December 2025, that vision became reality when OCART officially received approval. We immediately got to work.

On February 28, we held our first “Train the Trainer” session—laying the groundwork for a scalable, sustainable volunteer program. Just days later, on March 7, OCART hosted its first official training event at El Rodeo Equestrian Center.

The response exceeded all expectations. Over 100 attendees participated, including representatives from OC Sheriff’s Department, OC Fire Authority, OC Animal Care, and local government offices. More than 70 volunteers were certified. 12 Trailer Team Leaders were trained and certified to coordinate transport and logistics. Demand was so strong that additional volunteers were placed on a waitlist for the next training session.

This overwhelming support confirmed what we already knew: the equestrian and animal-loving community is ready, willing, and committed to stepping up when it matters most.