A local volunteer-run organization is devoted to caring for pets and responding to their needs when disaster strikes.

The Connecticut Emergency Animal Response Service responds to medical calls at no cost. They have an ambulance stocked with everything from animal first aid kits to flood supplies.

EARS volunteers are on-call to help animals in the path of Florence. They are also prepared to serve in Massachusetts, where a gas explosion resulted in the immediate evacuation of homes.

"We always have medical stock, but especially in the case of a disaster, we know we're going to be dealing with multiple pets in situations, so we might add additional cages and crates," says EARS Operations Director Jon Nowinski. "Everything we have is collapsible and basically transportable."

The organization is prepared to handle anything from a household pet to a horse.