Most of us have some version of an emergency plan for ourselves. We know where to go if there’s a wildfire warning, we’ve thought about grabbing important documents, and we have a general sense of what an evacuation might look like for our families.
But what about the dog? The cat? The horses in the back pasture? The chickens that have been in the family for years?
For millions of pet and livestock owners across California, that part of the plan is often the last thing they think about and the first thing that falls apart when disaster hits. On this episode of Turning Point, I sat down with Vicky Dawson, founder and president of the Solano Community Animal Response Team, to talk about that gap and what every animal owner in Solano County can do to close it before the next emergency.
Listen to the full episode here.
Who Is Vicky Dawson and Why You Should Listen to Her
Vicky Dawson didn’t learn about animal disaster response from a textbook. She lived it. During the LNU Complex Fires, one of the most destructive wildfire events in California history, she was on the ground helping evacuate animals, coordinate volunteers, and navigate the chaos every large-scale disaster brings. That firsthand experience shapes everything she shares in this episode.
She founded the Solano Community Animal Response Team, known as Solano CART, to fill the gap between human emergency response systems and the animals those systems often leave behind. Solano CART trains volunteers, builds community networks, and provides coordinated animal rescue capacity that individual pet owners can’t replicate on their own.
Her organization exists because community networks save lives, animal lives included. In a region where wildfires, floods, and other emergencies arrive with less and less warning, having that network in place before disaster strikes is the difference between rescue and loss.
Learn more about Solano CART at solanocart.org and find them on Facebook to stay connected to their volunteer efforts and training opportunities.
The Three Things Every Pet Owner Needs to Do Right Now
Vicky’s advice is practical, specific, and actionable. These are the three most important things every animal owner in Solano County should do before the next emergency.
First, build an emergency plan for your animals before you need one
Don’t wait for a mandatory evacuation order to figure out where your pets are going. Know which shelter accepts animals in your area, which roads you’ll take, and which routes might be blocked. Know who in your network can help you transport animals if you can’t do it alone. Practice loading your animals into carriers or trailers ahead of time so it isn’t a stressful surprise in the middle of a crisis.
The time to build that plan is right now, on a Tuesday afternoon when nothing is wrong, not at 2am when the sky is orange and the roads are filling with smoke.
Second, build an emergency kit for every animal in your care
A human emergency kit and an animal emergency kit aren’t the same thing. Your pets and livestock need their own supplies: enough food and water for at least 72 hours, any regular medications along with copies of prescriptions, vaccination records and veterinary contact information, carriers, leashes, and any restraints needed for safe transport, and identification, whether that’s a microchip, a tag, or a photo of you with your animal that proves ownership if you get separated.
For livestock owners, preparation goes further. Trailers need to be roadworthy and accessible, and loading practice matters enormously. Animals that have never been asked to load quickly under stress won’t suddenly comply during a real emergency.
Third, connect with your community network before you need it
This is the piece most emergency planning conversations leave out. Individual preparation matters, but community networks change outcomes in ways individual preparation can’t.
Solano CART volunteers train specifically to assist with animal rescue during emergencies. They know the region, coordinate with human emergency response teams, and fill the gap when owners can’t safely retrieve their animals themselves. Knowing they exist and how to reach them could be the difference between losing an animal and getting them home safely.
Why This Episode Connects to Fairfield’s Broader Safety Conversation
For me, emergency preparedness isn’t a side issue for a city council member. It’s a core responsibility. I’ve consistently advocated for a public safety approach that addresses the full range of risks Fairfield residents face, including natural disasters, and that makes sure the most vulnerable members of our community, human and animal alike, have the resources and information they need before a crisis hits.
Solano County sits in a region where wildfire risk is real and growing. Climate change isn’t a future problem here; it’s a current one. Families in Cordelia and Green Valley are closer to that risk than many Fairfield residents realize. Building personal and community preparedness now is the kind of proactive, prevention-first approach that saves lives and resources when emergencies arrive.
That’s why I use Turning Point to bring information and resources like this directly to you, instead of waiting for people to go looking for it.
Why I Created This Platform
Turning Point is an extension of who I am as a leader and as a member of this community.
I co-founded Solano Impact Care to provide personalized community support services for Solano County residents navigating some of the hardest moments of their lives. I founded Hazel’s Tranquility Place, named after my mother, to give formerly incarcerated women and their children a safe home and a real pathway forward. Both exist because I saw gaps in our community and worked to fill them with my own time, resources, and commitment.
That same instinct drives every episode of Turning Point: see a gap in what our community knows, fill it, and connect you with information and resources that make your life safer, stronger, and better prepared for whatever comes next.
I wrote more about the kind of leadership I bring to District 1 in Women in Local Government Fairfield CA. It’s rooted in genuine community investment: real organizations, real conversations, and real outcomes for real people.
Before You Close This Tab, Do These Three Things
One. Visit solanocart.org and learn how to connect with Solano CART volunteers in your area.
Two. Start building your pet emergency kit today: food, water, medications, identification, and a carrier. Don’t wait for a red flag warning to realize you aren’t ready.
Three. Listen to this episode of Turning Point and share it with someone who loves their animals and has never thought about what happens to them in a disaster.
Your pets are counting on you to have a plan, and I’ll keep using every platform I have to help make sure you do.
For campaign and election information, visit ElectKPatriceWilliams.com.
Learn more at kpatriceforfairfield.com and stay connected with me on LinkedIn and at imkpatrice.com
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Vicky Dawson and what is Solano CART?
Vicky Dawson is the founder and president of the Solano Community Animal Response Team, a volunteer organization that trains community members to assist with animal rescue and evacuation during emergencies across Solano County. Learn more at solanocart.org.
2. What should I put in an emergency kit for my pets?
At minimum, pack 72 hours of food and water, any medications with copies of prescriptions, vaccination records, veterinary contact information, carriers or leashes, and identification documentation including photos of you with your animal.
4. Where can I listen to this episode of Turning Point?
Listen to the full episode with Vicky Dawson here.