The Halter Project
The Halter Project is a privately funded, founder-led Sonoma County organization that provides free animal emergency and disaster preparedness education, training scholarships, and resources to pet owners, equine and livestock operators, community groups, and Northern California first responders.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersGlen Ellen, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Halter Project does
The Halter Project is a privately funded, founder-led organization established in 2013 by Julie Atwood and headquartered in Glen Ellen, Sonoma County, California. It provides free education, resources, and training focused exclusively on animal emergency and disaster preparedness, serving individual pet owners, equine and livestock operators, community organizations (including seniors and Spanish-speaking populations), and professional first responders such as fire departments, Animal Control officers, sheriff's deputies, and CART teams across Northern California (Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Butte, and Solano counties). Its two programmatic pillars are First Responder Animal Awareness & Response — scholarships for Large Animal Technical Rescue (LATR) certification, FEMA course promotion, and equipment guidance — and Individual & Community Preparedness — free downloadable workbooks, packets, checklists, species-specific Ready Kits, podcasts, webinars, YouTube workshops, and the Home & Ranch Readiness Virtual Summit. Strategic partners include three UC Davis institutes (Center for Equine Health; Western Institute for Food Safety & Security; International Animal Welfare Training Institute), Sonoma County Animal Services, Marin Humane, North Valley Animal Disaster Group, Napa CART, HART-1/HART-2, and national alignment with Ready.gov and CAL FIRE.
There is no proprietary technology platform; the offering is a curated content library, an event franchise (Ranch Readiness Day; Home & Ranch Readiness Virtual Experience), and a small-grants/scholarship conduit that flows money to outside training providers rather than to HALTER itself. The business model is therefore unusual: HALTER is for-profit per its company-type record, yet it does not sell products or services, does not accept direct cash donations, and is not structured as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The organization directly funds LATR training scholarships and Emergency Kit donations to charity events, while third-party training programs it promotes carry modest fees (All-Hazards/Wildland Fireline Safety at $30; LATR courses at $350–$500 per student; awareness classes $35–$125 per student) that do not appear to flow back to HALTER as revenue. Distribution is entirely free and digital via halterproject.org, augmented by social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram), a YouTube channel, Constant Contact newsletter, and community events; equipment supplier CDA Products (Anderson Sling) is listed as a recommended vendor.
The Halter Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Halter Project
- Legal name
- The HALTER Project
- Website
- https://halterproject.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Halter Project is a privately funded, founder-led Sonoma County organization that provides free animal emergency and disaster preparedness education, training scholarships, and resources to pet owners, equine and livestock operators, community groups, and Northern California first responders.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Halter Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animal Emergency Preparedness Education
- NAICS
- Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disaster Preparedness & Animal Evacuation Services (BPAGAIAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Disaster Preparedness, Risk Reduction & Early Warning (DRR) (BPAGAAAB), Rescue, Transport & Emergency Animal Response (BPAGAIAB)
Keywords
Where The Halter Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Glen Ellen
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Halter Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Non-revenue generating organization: The Halter Project is NOT a 501(c)(3) organization and does not accept cash donations. They do not directly raise money but instead assist other organizations and agencies in their fundraising efforts. The organization directly funds ATR (Animal Technical Rescue) trainings for local first responders and provides Emergency Kit donations to charity events.
- Training sponsorship and scholarships: HALTER provides scholarships to firefighters, Animal Control officers, sheriff's deputies, and first responders from Sonoma, Marin, and Napa counties for tuition fees for Animal Technical Rescue certification training.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free educational resources for animal owners and communities |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Halter Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Halter Project provides free animal emergency and disaster preparedness education, resources, and training to individuals, communities, and first responders. Its core offerings include a First Responder Training Program, an Individual/Community Preparedness Program, a free online resource library, infographics, preparedness checklists, a blog, a podcast, a speakers bureau, an annual conference, and a virtual summit. All materials and programs are provided free of charge, supported by private funding and community partnerships.
Product overview
The HALTER Project is a privately funded educational organization established in 2013, based in Sonoma County, California, dedicated to animal disaster preparedness. It operates through two interconnected programs: First Responder Animal Awareness & Response (providing training scholarships, equipment grants, and rescue support to first responders) and Individual & Community Preparedness (connecting animal owners with free educational resources). The core offerings include Ready Kits (evacuation and shelter-in-place kits for various animals), Preparedness Resources (comprehensive guides and checklists), Training & Education (FEMA courses, LATR certification, CART training with scholarships), Barn and Ranch Safety Workbooks, Preparedness Videos and Podcasts, Animal Technical Rescue Equipment information, the Home & Ranch Readiness Virtual Experience platform, downloadable Preparedness Packets, Animal Preparedness Workbooks, COVID-19 Resources, and Spanish/Español language materials. The organization is not a 501(c)(3) and does not accept direct donations but facilitates fundraising for partner agencies. All educational content and resources are provided free of charge to individuals, organizations, agencies, and community partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- First Responder Training Program A free training program designed for fire departments and first responders to build capabilities in animal emergency response and large-animal technical rescue. It provides professional-level education to emergency services personnel who must manage animals during disasters.
- Individual and Community Preparedness Program A free educational program providing individual pet owners, equine/livestock owners, and community members with the knowledge and resources to prepare their animals for emergencies and disasters such as wildfires.
- Annual Animal Disaster Preparedness Conference An annual in-person conference hosted by The Halter Project that convenes community members, animal owners, and first responders to share animal disaster preparedness education, training, and best practices.
- Virtual Animal Disaster Preparedness Summit A virtual summit that delivers animal disaster preparedness education online, extending the program's reach beyond Sonoma County to a wider audience of pet owners, livestock owners, and emergency responders.
- The Halter Project Podcast An audio podcast produced by The Halter Project that covers animal emergency preparedness topics, expert interviews, and best practices for pet owners, livestock owners, and first responders.
- Speakers Bureau A speakers bureau that provides The Halter Project representatives for community talks, events, and educational sessions on animal disaster preparedness.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3 annual Ranch Readiness Day events produced, plus the 2018 Home and Ranch Readiness Summit
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Halter Project
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Halter Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Halter Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UC Davis Center for Equine HealthcoreCollaboration with UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine for animal disaster education and training resources. UC Davis provides continuing education courses and technical expertise in equine emergency response.
- UC Davis Western Institute for Food Safety & Security (WIFSS)corePartnership for Animals in Disaster courses helping prepare first responders and community members for animal-related emergencies.
- UC Davis International Animal Welfare Training Institute (IAWTI)coreCollaboration on training programs for first responders and community volunteers in animal emergency response.
- Sonoma County Fire DepartmentscoreHART-1 and HART-2 animal rescue teams in Sonoma County. HALTER provides scholarships and equipment support for firefighter training in animal technical rescue.
- Sonoma County Animal ServicescoreMaintains Large Animal Rescue Fund and Animal Emergency/Disaster Fund. HALTER supports equipment and training initiatives.
- North Valley Animal Disaster Group (NVADG)coreAll-volunteer disaster response group providing evacuation and shelter services. HALTER promotes their services and supports their mission.
- Marin HumanecoreMarin County animal welfare organization that trains and maintains Animal Technical Rescue skills with support from HALTER.
- Napa CARTcoreCommunity Animal Response Team established in Spring 2017 developing resources to respond in local emergencies.
- Marin County Sheriff Search & RescuecoreProvides animal rescue support in Marin County with Animal Rescue Technicians.
- Ready.govminorPartnership to promote national emergency preparedness standards and resources for animal owners.
- CAL FIREminorCalifornia Department of Forestry and Fire Protection providing wildfire preparedness resources and apps.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Halter Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Marin Humane: Marin Humane is a county-level animal welfare organization in Marin County, California that trains and maintains Animal Technical Rescue skills and is a HALTER partner. It is highly comparable as a regional peer delivering animal preparedness services in the same Northern California geography.
Broad incumbents
- American Humane: American Humane operates the Red Star Animal Emergency Services program that deploys to disasters nationwide. It is comparable to HALTER as an animal-focused disaster response organization, but at a national scale with formal funding mechanisms.
- American Red Cross: The Red Cross is the dominant national disaster preparedness organization and overlaps with HALTER through household emergency planning and pet-inclusive resources. It is a much larger incumbent in the same overarching preparedness category.
- Humane Society of the United States: HSUS runs animal rescue, sheltering, and disaster programs nationwide, including for equine and farm animals. It is comparable in mission and animal welfare focus but operates at far greater scale and geographic breadth than HALTER.
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): The ASPCA operates nationwide animal welfare and disaster response programs and is many times HALTER's size. It is comparable as a broader incumbent addressing animal emergencies and sheltering, with significantly greater funding and reach.
- PetSmart Charities: PetSmart Charities funds emergency boarding, sheltering, and disaster relief for pets nationally, and overlaps with HALTER's pet preparedness mission. It is a much larger incumbent with grantmaking capacity that HALTER's grassroots model cannot match.
- American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): AVMA is the national professional association for veterinarians and publishes disaster preparedness guidance for animals. It is comparable as a broader incumbent producing authoritative preparedness content that competes for the same end audience.
Others
- UC Davis Center for Equine Health: UC Davis CEH is an academic partner that collaborates with HALTER on equine emergency education and continuing education. It is an enabling partner rather than a direct competitor, providing technical expertise and institutional reach.
Direct peers
- Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER): TLAER is a national training organization offering courses in large animal emergency rescue, and is listed by HALTER as a partner. It is directly comparable in providing LATR training and equipment guidance to first responders.
- Code 3 Associates: Code 3 Associates is a Colorado-based nonprofit that trains and deploys animal disaster response teams nationally, similar to HALTER's mission of supporting first responders and animal technical rescue. It is one of the closest operating comparables in animal-focused emergency response training.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Halter Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Halter Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Halter Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Halter Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Halter Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Halter Project
What does The Halter Project do?
The Halter Project provides free animal emergency and disaster preparedness education, resources, and training to individuals, communities, and first responders. Its core offerings include a First Responder Training Program, an Individual/Community Preparedness Program, a free online resource library, infographics, preparedness checklists, a blog, a podcast, a speakers bureau, an annual conference, and a virtual summit. All materials and programs are provided free of charge, supported by private funding and community partnerships.
Is The Halter Project a public or private company?
The Halter Project is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Halter Project founded?
The Halter Project was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Halter Project based?
The Halter Project is headquartered in Glen Ellen, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Halter Project make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Non-revenue generating organization is the primary driver. The others are training sponsorship and scholarships.
Who are The Halter Project's main competitors?
Marin Humane is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are American Humane, American Red Cross, Humane Society of the United States, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), PetSmart Charities and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). UC Davis Center for Equine Health is listed as an others. Direct peers are Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER) and Code 3 Associates.
Does The Halter Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Halter Project.
What industry is The Halter Project in?
The Halter Project's product category is Animal Emergency Preparedness Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAIAM, Disaster Preparedness & Animal Evacuation Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAAAB, Disaster Preparedness, Risk Reduction & Early Warning (DRR). Its NAICS code is 624230.