THE ANIMAL RESCUE TEAM, INC. is the only wildlife facility permitted by the California Department of Fish & Game to rescue and rehabilitate large mammals between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.  Located in the Santa Ynez Valley, A.R.T. runs a 24/7 animal rescue hot line where the S.B. County Sheriff’s Department, various Fire Departments, Humane Societies and Animal Services, as well as caring citizens, call to report wild or domestic animals who have been injured, orphaned, abused or displaced.   They are the only animal rescue facility equipped with an Animal Ambulance on the Central Coast which allows them to respond 24/7 to animals in crisis.  A.R.T. also has a 14’ trailer that attaches to their Animal Ambulance to help with evacuations.  During the recent Jesusita Fire, A.R.T. rescued over 200 animals, wild and domestic.  A.R.T. focuses on large mammal rescue, although raptors, birds and reptiles are never turned away. Domestic animals are also occasionally fostered until a loving forever home can be found.

In April 2009, a volunteer and A.R.T Director Julia Di Sieno rescued 2 starving orphaned mountain lion cubs wandering around the small city of Solvang for 5 days. They were very successful in sedating the cubs, with their Vet standing by to immediately reverse the drugs, as well as provide necessary care. An hour after the safe capture, the cubs were ripped away from A.R.T. staff, tossed into the back of an open pick truck, and paraded around for 2 days. California DFG attempted to prosecute them for saving the cubs. However, the case was too controversial, with a lot of public outrage. No charges were filed. The A.R.T. simply saved 2 state protected animals, that were seen daily without mom for 5 days.

For more info, please visit the A.R.T website.

In Dec of 2008, Animal Rescue Team, Inc. was chosen as a recipient of the Santa Barbara News Press Holiday Fund, which allowed for the construction of eight large mammal enclosures.  They are currently working with California Dept. of Fish and Game to obtain temporary holding permits for bears and mountain lions.  With the expansion of human population and building growth continuing into wildlife habitat as seen in recent decades, Californians are seeing more and more native wildlife being pushed into urban areas and conflicts have inevitably occurred.  The result nearly always ends in tragedy – for the animal.  The Animal Rescue Team, Inc. aims to provide a viable alternative to the usual response/tragic ending.  They are staffed with trained personnel, equipped with all the necessary tranquilizer guns, cages, secure transport trailer and other equipment needed to sedate a bear or mountain lion, then transport the animal safely to their large mammal cages to ‘sleep it off’ until it is ready to be rereleased back into the wild where it belongs.  A.R.T. believes this would be a better way of handling the situation than; a) killing the animal, or b) sending it to a zoo.  The preservation of native California wildlife requires more than habitat protection.  The need for hands-on care and rapid response to aid injured and threatened wild animals is the vital missing piece of environmental stewardship that the Animal Rescue Team, Inc. is determined to provide for native wildlife in the Tri-County area.

It is only through charitable donations and the generosity of volunteers that A.R.T. will continue to serve the animals and residents of the community.  The generosity of South Coast residents and businesses is key to A.R.T.’s continued success and will better allow A.R.T. to expand to accommodate the growing needs of abandoned or injured wildlife.

Pictured left: A.R.T Executive Director, Julia Di Sieno, shows off her new mountain lion cub tattoo – a special tribute to the rescued cubs.

A.R.T. is currently in search of dedicated volunteers to help out with hard rescues and feedings. If you are interested, please contact Julia at info@animalrescueteam.net or visit them at www.animalrescueteam.net