Which network is part of the National Disaster Medical System and includes private citizens, including private veterinary practitioners, who apply and are accepted into the program?

• A. National Veterinary Response Teams (NVRT)
• B. State Animal Response Teams (SART)
• C. Non-governmental Response Teams
• D. County or Community Animal Response Teams (CART)

Answer: (A)

The network described is the National Veterinary Response Teams. This NDMS component is designed to bring in civilian volunteers, including private practitioners, who apply, are credentialed, and then serve on veterinary disaster response missions. The idea is to extend the NDMS’s reach to animal care during emergencies by leveraging the expertise of private veterinarians and other civilian volunteers who are screened and deployed as needed. In contrast, state animal response teams (SART) operate at the state level, county/community teams (CART) are local, and non-governmental response teams are not integrated into NDMS. So, the NVRT fits the description as the NDMS-affiliated network that includes private citizens and veterinarians who apply and are accepted.