WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 24 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.; media availability is at 12 noon. Representatives from the N.C. Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services and N.C. Division of Emergency Management will be available to answer any questions.

WHERE: DavidsonCountyCommunityCollegeConferenceCenter 297 Davidson County Community College Road, Thomasville, NC27360.

CONTACT: Cory Grier, Emergency Management Public Affairs 919-733-3824 or 919-357-5494 (cell)

Participating agencies: N.C. Emergency Management, N.C. Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services, N.C. State Animal Response Team, N.C. Cooperative Extension Services, animal control officers from 33 central North Carolina counties, Veterinary Reserve Corps and County Animal Response Team.

Background: North Carolina developed the CAMET program in 2006 in response to the federal Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards, or PETS Act, created the same year.

The PETS Act requires government agencies to accommodate pets in their plans to evacuate residents during disasters. N.C. Division of Emergency Management partnered with N.C. Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the U.S. Humane Society to establish the CAMET program.

To date, the state has provided 26 CAMETs and positioned them throughout the state. Each trailer is owned and operated in part by local county emergency management and comes equipped with crates, a generator and enough durable goods to support up to 50 animals. The goal is to establish temporary housing for domestic pets in the same location as their owners.