Impact Report 2024
Response Activities
Zoological Disaster Response, Rescue, and Recovery (ZDR3)
Letter from Our Director
ZDR3 staff managed a whirlwind of activity in 2024, with deployments, conferences, and the incredible work of our responders taking center stage. Last year, ZDR3 tackled hurricanes, wildfires, and animal placement missions, showcasing the strength and adaptability of our network. These efforts helped us grow by welcoming 33 new facilities and expanding into 5 new states, and
200 facilities across 38 states and territories. The connections we ve built and the lessons we’ve learned will guide us as we continue to enhance our industry’s readiness for whatever comes next.
In 2024, we also made important strides toward securing ZDR3’s long-term future. Our efforts on Capitol Hill helped ensure we’re well-positioned to support the needs of zoological facilities moving forward. Additionally, our Congressionally funded cooperative agreement with USDA is providing critical portions of our budget that will enable us to respond and provide assistance when it’s needed most.
We’re excited to carry this momentum forward in 2025 attending conferences, sharing our experiences through our new blog, Stronger Together, and strengthening the bonds within our community. These opportunities to connect and collaborate are vital to our shared mission of preparedness and support.
Thank you for your continued dedication. Whether you deployed to the field, assisted remotely, or contributed through donations, you’ve played an essential role in our mission. Together, we’re building a stronger, more resilient future for zoological facilities and the animals they care for.
Here’s to a productive and collaborative 2025!
We are stronger together,
Julia Wilder Executive Director & Co-Founder
Zoological Disaster
Response,
Rescue, and Recovery (ZDR3)
Where ZDR3 Has Responded
Although ZDR3 Disaster Responders often deploy from nearby, sometimes network teams travel long distances to provide assistance
ZDR3 Response Activities 2024 Responses
On-Scene Responses
Animal Placement - TX (Nov.)
Hurricane Milton - FL (Oct.)
Hurricane Helene - FL, GA (Sept.)
Animal Placement - VA (Apr.)
Wildfires - CA
21 facility teams
75 individual responders 9 facilities supported across 4 states
Standby
Hurricane Debby - FL (Aug.)
Hurricane Beryl - TX (July)
Monitoring
Hurricane Rafael - TX (Nov.)
Hurricane Francine - LA, MS (Sept.)
River Flooding - CA (Feb.) R H H
Wildfires CA (June)
Animal Placement - FL (Feb.)
5 corporate teams 5 facilities supported 10,000+ feederinvertebrates dispatched
Ale
Wildfires - CA (Nov.)
Wildfires - CA (Nov.)
Structural Fire - VA (Nov.)
Wildfires - TX (Mar.)
River Flooding - TX (Jan.)
Winter Storm Nationwide (Jan )
120+ days monitoring and/or activated
Major Responses Hurricane Helene
When Hurricane Helene rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm, ZDR3’s proactive planning ensured a swift and effective response. Director Julia Wilder and Administrative Manager Melanie Messer pre-positioned near the anticipated impact zone, equipped with backup power and communications to manage assistance requests.
Three facilities required on-site deployments, while three others received remote support. In total, ZDR3 maintained contact with 10 facilities, offering guidance on readiness and connections to government and NGO resources. Helene showcased the value of early preparation, allowing our network to respond quickly and effectively to minimize the storm’s impact on facilities and their animals.
Beyond direct deployments, ZDR3 also facilitated critical remote support. In the aftermath of Helene, corporate collaborators worked together to supply a facility in need with feeder insects and essential supplies, ensuring the well-being of animals reliant on specialized diets. While this was not an on-scene response, it reinforced the importance of remote missions in disaster recovery. By leveraging partnerships and logistical coordination, ZDR3 continued to make an impact even from afar, demonstrating that every form of response plays a vital role in supporting facilities during crises.
A response team loads supplies to transport to an impacted facility.
Hurricane Milton
In early October, fewer than two weeks after Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton emerged as one of the most intense Atlantic storms on record, reaching Category 5 status before weakening to a Category 3 at landfall. Despite the reduced intensity, Milton brought significant challenges, including heavy rain, strong winds, and a record number of tornadoes that compounded the difficulties of facilities still recovering from Helene.
Following Milton’s landfall, ZDR3 quickly mobilized and strategically positioned in the region to ensure swift availability for assistance. Teams were deployed to multiple impacted facilities to provide immediate response. At one location, response teams worked to clear fallen trees and repair damaged fencing, securing the site for both animals and staff. At another, teams conducted an initial clean-up and needs assessment, focusing on the immediate priorities to set the facility up for successful recovery.
As the response efforts continued, additional teams arrived to provide long-term support, including additional clean-up and recovery tasks. ZDR3 maintained coordination, assisting in critical operations to help facilities resume normal activities as quickly as possible.
ZDR3 provided support to response teams who suffered damage to their own facility, but continued to take on missions to help their neighbors and colleagues
Melanie Messer, ZDR3 Administrative Manager, tags a damaged tree as part of documenting storm impact at the facility
Response team makes quick work of downed trees.
With the help of heavy machinery, response teams helped demolish damaged enclosures.
ZDR3 provided assistance with recovery efforts following Hurricane Milton.
California Wildfires
Wildfires in California forced a native wildlife facility to evacuate its animals. ZDR3 quickly mobilized to assist, deploying Director Julia Wilder and Operations Manager Cari Wittenborn to coordinate on-site operations. The team worked alongside three network facilities and dozens of responders to safely evacuate the facility’s animals. Thanks to the rapid response and collaboration, the animals were housed in temporary locations until it was safe for them to return home.
While the on-the-ground team addressed immediate evacuation needs, ZDR3 provided remote support to another facility monitoring wildfire risks. This coordinated effort highlighted our network’s flexibility and capacity to address multiple challenges at once. The success of this response reflects the power of our partnerships and the unwavering commitment of our responders.
Animal Placement
As the year drew to a close, ZDR3 concluded its response season with a unique and impactful mission. A facility preparing to close its doors requested assistance with rehoming part of its animal collection. ZDR3 mobilized to meet the need. Leveraging the strength of the network, 15 facilities collaborated to coordinate placements, while eight responders from five teams worked on-site to manage animal capture and transport.
A ZDR3 Network facility answered the call for support and went up the mountain to evacuate the small animals
A second network facility evacuated the remaining, large animals with the help of their experienced veterinary team
2024 Responders
A heartfelt THANK YOU to our response teams for your dedication to assisting your peers in 2024. Your expertise and hard work made a lasting impact on the animals and facilities we supported. We are proud to stand with such incredible individuals
Speaking Engagements & Trainings
In 2024, ZDR3 expanded its reach and strengthened the community by hosting the Regional Response Readiness: Region 6 Workshop, and participating in key events such as the AZA Directors Policy Conference, ZAA Mid-Year Conference, AZA Safety Summit, AZA Annual Conference, ZAA Annual Conference, NASAAEP Summit, ZAHP Emergency Animal Transport Webinar, and FL SART November Partners Meeting.
Grants and Cooperative Agreements
USDA Cooperative Agreement
ZDR3 has signed a cooperative agreement with USDA to expand ZDR3’s Network and to enhance facility and industry contingency planning and response capacity, filling a void that existed in the exotic animal community. These Congressionally appropriated funds help fill some of the funding needs for ZDR3 operations.
We
2024 Sponsors
Thank you!
As an industry-led effort, ZDR3 provides support to zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, and other non-domestic animal businesses before, during, and after significant incidents. ZDR3 responds upon request, independent of affiliation.
Joining ZDR3 is free and there is no cost to a facility when we respond to a request for assistance.
