Kelowna

ESS (Emergency Social Services) volunteers and CDART (Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team) volunteers were among those honoured by the Justice Institute of B.C. with a JIBC Foundation Heroes & Rescue Award 2009 Certificate for their emergency animal response during the Glenrosa, Rose Valley and Terrace Mountain Fires.

The 2009 awards were presented to emergency services personnel and others who protected lives and communities threatened by forest and interface fires throughout BC in 2009. The award was presented on Tuesday.

CDART stands for Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team, and is made up entirely of volunteers. CDART's mission is to provide emergency services for domestic animals in the event of a disaster, to train volunteers in order that they can provide emergency shelter and rescue for domestic animals when responding during a disaster, and to raise funds for supplies, medical treatment for animals, training costs and expenses incurred by volunteers during a disaster.

CDART is the emergency animal rescue division of Critteraid, a registered not-for-profit society registered as The Summerland Cat Sanctuary.