This agreement between the united states department of agriculture's animal and plant health inspection service (USDA-APHIS) and zoological disaster response, rescue, and recovery (ZDR3) seeks to…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service awarded a Cooperative Agreement totaling $509,208 to Zoological Disaster Response, Rescue, and Recovery (ZDR3) on September 1, 2026, under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025).

ZDR3 manages and coordinates an emergency response network that provides support to zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, and other exotic animal facilities before, during, and after significant incidents. The award funds three core objectives: maintenance and growth of an emergency response network for coordinated support among exotic animal industry facilities; provision of tactical and remote support to those facilities; and creation and dissemination of preparedness materials aligned with USDA regulations. ZDR3 specializes in non-domestic animal disaster response, filling a capability gap that existing domestic animal relief organizations lack the expertise to address.

ZDR3, a Fort Worth, Texas-based nonprofit, is the sole recipient. Performance extends across the United States through the period of performance from September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027. The award carries no sub-recipients in the source record.

This agreement between the united states department of agriculture's animal and plant health inspection service (USDA-APHIS) and zoological disaster response, rescue, and recovery (ZDR3) seeks to better assist the exotic animal industry (EAI) in responding to natural disasters. ZDR3 manages and coordinates an emergency response network that provides support to zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, and other related facilities before, during, and after significant incidents. Although there are several excellent nonprofit and governmental disaster response organizations for domestic animals, they are often not equipped to safely manage the unique needs of non-domesticated collections. As the only animal disaster response group specializing in non-domestic animals, ZDR3 has also become a resource for these groups when they discover a non-domestic animal or require related subject matter expertise. Agreement objectives are as follows: 1. Maintenance and growth of an emergency response network for coordinated support among EAI facilities; 2. Provision of tactical and/or remote support to facilities; 3. Creation and dissemination of materials developed to assist facilities with preparedness, and alignment with the USDA regulations.