COVID-19 RESPONSE
If this is an emergency please call 911
Always contact 911 by making a voice phone call, if you can.
Remember that in most areas you can not reach 911 by sending a text message.
- If you are an organization responding to a critical incident
NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines can support your response, relief, recovery and preparedness efforts with certified crisis response canine teams.
All inquiries are confidential.
(971) 217-9966 Call or text us with a brief message about your needs and the best way to contact you.
COVID -19> Novel Corona Virus Disease Information
The following information is from the CDC and WHO (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization). The original articles, as well as updated and additional information, can be found by clicking the links.
- Can I catch COVID-19 from my dog?
WHO (World Health Organization) reports “There is no evidence that a dog, cat or any pet can transmit COVID-19. Current evidence suggests that the virus spreads mainly between people who are in close contact with each other, for example at a conversational distance. The virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe.”
The CDC reports 'Although we know certain bacteria and fungi can be carried on fur and hair, there is no evidence that viruses, including the virus that causes COVID-19, can spread to people from the skin, fur, or hair of pets.'
The CDC advises ‘If you are sick with COVID-19, avoid contact with your pet, including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, sharing food, and sleeping in the same bed.”
- Can I use hand sanitizer on my pets?
The CDC advises “Do not wipe or bathe your pet with chemical disinfectants, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or other products, such as hand sanitizer, counter-cleaning wipes, or other industrial or surface cleaners.
If you have questions about appropriate products for bathing or cleaning your pet, talk to your veterinarian.
If your pet ingests hand sanitizer (such as by chewing the bottle) or is showing signs of illness after use, contact your veterinarian or pet poison control immediately.”
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/covid-19/pets.html#risk
- Are NATIONAL Crisis Response Canine teams responding to the COVID-19 pandemic?
During a declared state of emergency, the number of people affected psychologically is many times greater than the number of people sustaining physical harm, displacement from their homes, or the serious illness of a loved one.
Because NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines trains and prepares for mass scale disasters, regardless of the cause, our canine strike teams are responding in our local communities. For everyone’s safety, we respond only when requested by our community partners.
COVID-19> Guidance for Our Community Partners
Things we can do together
NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines trains and prepares to respond safely and effectively for mass scale disasters, regardless of the cause. Our canine strike teams are responding to our local communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. For everyone’s safety, we respond only when requested by our community partners.
- The people you serve are the people we serve
NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines will continue to support your essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand the community’s needs for the services and support you provide every day haven’t stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We know the demands for services, as well as the demands on your dedicated staff, have likely increased.
We’ll work alongside your staff as you respond to someone who’s experiencing trauma or crisis. Together, we’ll work to transform their isolation, fear and helplessness to shared support, strength, growth and recovery.
Further, we’ll work with your team to provide the psychological support and respite your staff needs to face the relentless personal and professional challenges of caring for people impacted by the pandemic.
Self-provisioned As a reminder, we work alongside responders, community organizations, law enforcement, NGO’s and counselors without charge. Each canine strike team deploys with its own strike team lead, provisions, water, food, travel, transportation, lodging, logistics and safety, for the duration of the response.
ICS Within the ICS structure, NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines provides self-provisioned Canine Strike Teams, typically deployed to the Operations Section or the Safety Officer. Canine strike teams can be requested to support staff at POD’s, EOC’s and other ICS functions.
- Canine Teams are Supporting Our Community Partners
We're pleased to announce that as of 2022February14, NATIONAL Crisis Response Canine teams will resume our participation in joint exercises, drills, outreach, awareness events and similar activities that support the work of our community partners.
Our community partners are encouraged to Contact Us with your requests for canine teams who can work alongside you as you build awareness for the vital services you’re providing to your communities. We’re committed to working with you to find safe effective ways to support your services.
Community partners may use the Contact Us form to let us know of your outreach or training events or to request canine teams to support your response efforts.
helping people be safe
Things we can do to prevent COVID-19
- COVID-19> How NATIONAL Crisis Response Canine teams are helping people be safe during the pandemic
NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines responders are fully vaccinated. Our canine teams are following the CDC’s guidance for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.
Washing hands, avoiding close contact, restricting travel, and staying at home if sick or exposed are just a few of the steps we’re taking. To see more of how we’re preventing the spread of diseases, please click the link below to the CDC Guidance for People Fully Vaccinated.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html
COVID-19
4 steps in the interest of the public's health
- Assess your risk factors per the CDC
Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing.
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention
Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
- Social Distancing
Social distancing involves avoiding large gatherings and keeping a distance of 6 feet (2 meters) between yourself and others when possible.
When responding, NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines’ handlers will work with 8foot leads to allow the canines to make a connection, while allowing a safe distance for the people we serve.
- Social Isolation - Canine handlers with symptoms or risk factors will not be responding at this time.
While isolation serves the same purpose as quarantine, it’s reserved for those who are already sick. It keeps infected people away from healthy people to prevent the sickness from spreading.
Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
- Self-quarantine - Canine handlers with known risk factors, contact with a person who is COVID-19 positive, or who have recently visited areas where COVID-19 Community Transmission Level is High, will not be responding. Likewise, asymptomatic handlers who have had contact with a presumptive or confirmed positive patient will not be responding.
Quarantines are for people or groups who don’t have symptoms but were exposed to the sickness. A quarantine keeps them away from others so they don’t unknowingly infect anyone. The CDC reports that fully vaccinated people who do become infected with the COVID-19 variants can spread the virus to others.
For this reason, our fully vaccinated NATIONAL volunteers will not be deployed if they’ve had contact with or been exposed to known COVID-positive person within past 7 days.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html
COVID-19 response
what you can expect
- Psychologically Complex Behaviors
To ensure the safety of the individuals you serve, both the canine handler and the canine are specifically trained for working with the intense emotions and psychologically complex behaviors of people in crisis.
Only fully vaccinated, certified canine teams are deployed and each team is insured. All NATIONAL personnel have criminal background histories cleared through an extensive and ongoing Level 3 screening by Sterling Volunteers.
To respect the privacy and safety of the individuals you serve, NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines does not post information or photos of our deployments to social media. Please understand we can not respond to media requests for interviews during critical incidents.
- Infection Control Protocol
The World Health Organization reports that as of 2022FEB21, there have been 77.7 million cases of the COVID-19 virus in the United States since January 2020.
At NATIONAL, we implemented the Infection Control Protocol for COVID-19 in March 2020. Since then, we’ve been active with resilience responses in support of public health staff around the country. We’ve responded to support public health sites for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. We've responded to critical incidents across the country through surge after surge.
Today, while we have vaccines, testing, and treatments for the COVID-19 virus, each variant of the virus brings new challenges to every corner of the world. As we have with every surge and for every variant, NATIONAL will continue to monitor the guidance from the CDC and WHO.
We’ll continue to make adjustments to our COVID-19 Infection Control Protocol that allow us to continue to respond -safely and effectively.
- Methodologies
At NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines, we provide Psychological First Aid, developed by SAMSHA and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). PsySTART, a rapid mental health triage strategy, is used to rapidly assess individuals and connect them with the critical care services they need.
NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines also provides canine teams trained in peer support critical incident stress management, developed by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF); and suicide prevention and intervention developed by ASIST and ICISF.
NATIONAL Crisis Response Canines is committed to helping when someone is hurting, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, gender, gender status, political or legal status, nationality, or any other aspect that makes us unique yet universally human.
Page updated: 2023MARCH01