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How the Pet Industry Is Helping Katrina Victims
In an outpouring of compassion, pet industry manufacturers,
retailers and organizations provided services, raised money
and donated products in support of the pets and people affected
by Hurricane Katrina:
- The American Humane Association (Denver) dispatched
emergency teams to rescue stranded animals in downtown New Orleans
and, at the request of the Louisiana state veterinarian helped
manage animal shelters in Lafayette and Gonzales, La. At press
time, the Lafayette shelter housed 306 dogs, cats, snakes and
ferrets.
- The American Kennel Club (New York) and AKC Companion
Animal Recovery sent relief workers to animal shelters and
staging areas in Louisiana and Mississippi to help distribute
pet food and supplies; donated $25,000 to the Take the Lead
Katrina Relief Fund; used contributions to the AKC/CAR Canine
Support and Relief Fund to purchase equipment and pet supplies;
and set up a donations exchange database on its Web site
(www.akc.org).
- The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association
(Greenwich, Conn.) organized an information clearinghouse on
its Web site (www.appma.org) to connect area animal shelters
with large companies and industry affiliates willing to provide
assistance.
- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (New York) at press time had issued more than $830,000
from its Disaster Relief Fund to 16 organizations involved in
search-and-rescue efforts in the Gulf Coast; helped evacuate
more than 3,000 animals to shelters in Gonzales and Baton Rouge,
La.; and set up databases for people trying to find their lost
pets and for animal relief volunteers.
- The Associated Humane Societies (Newark, N.J.) donated
thousands of pounds of pet food and hundreds of T-shirts to
hurricane victims, shipped aboard trucks donated by Dave’s
Appliances (Beach Haven, N.J); and posted donation information
on its Web site (www.ahscares.org).
- Funded in part by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation
(Schaumburg, Ill.), Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams worked
with Louisiana and Mississippi state veterinarians to reunite
people with their pets and to assess the needs of livestock
and wildlife. The foundation accepts donations through its Web
site (www.avmf.org).
- Best Friends Animal Society (Kanab, Utah) coordinated
information to help local officials and animal rescue groups
retrieve lost pets; used donations to its Web site (www.bestfriends.org)
to support rescue efforts; and posted information about adopting
and fostering refugee animals.
- Drs. Foster & Smith (Rhinelander, Wis.) at press
time had donated $10,000 to the American Red Cross; shipped
20 tons of dog and cat food and more than 1,400 ventilated pet
carriers to the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals; provided disaster relief information on its Web
site (www.drsfostersmith.com); and allowed supporters to send
gift certificates for pet health supplies, vaccines, first-aid
kits and prescription medications.
- The Friends of Amigo Foundation (New York) joined with
The Humane Society of the United States (Washington) to launch
the national Be Kind campaign, focusing its initial efforts
on animal rescue operations. The campaign supports the work
of HSUS through proceeds from the sale of the CauseCollar, fashioned
after popular charity bracelets.
- The HSUS Disaster Animal Response Team (Washington)
at press time had rescued approximately 3,000 pets in Mississippi
and Louisiana, and reunited 180 dogs with their families; worked
in a temporary animal shelter in Jackson, Miss.; established
a phone number to report missing or found pets in the Jackson
area; and supported efforts by the Houston Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals to house pets belonging to people staying
in area shelters. The organization accepts disaster relief donations
via its Web site (www.hsus.org).
- The Iams Co. (Dayton, Ohio), through its newly established
Friends for Life Fund, accepted donations for qualified nonprofit
organizations caring for pets separated from their families
during the hurricane; and matched contributions with up to $25,000
worth of product on top of an estimated $200,000 worth of donated
dog and cat foods.
In the first celebrity-corporate partnership to support companion
animal relief efforts, Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton launched
the fund with a public service announcement telling pet lovers
how and where to make donations.
- Canine disaster search teams trained by the National
Disaster Search Dog Foundation (Ojai, Calif.) searched for human
survivors trapped in houses, mobile homes and other structures
destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
- Nestle Purina PetCare Co. (St. Louis) provided matching
gift contributions to the American Red Cross and Noah’s
Wish, and provided Purina pet food to shelters in affected areas.
- Noah’s Wish (New York) worked with animal control
officials in Slidell, La., to coordinate pet rescue operations.
The organization accepts donations for the care of rescued animals
via its Web site (www.noahswish.org).
- Parrotdise Found Parrot Rescue & Sanctuary (Arcadia,
Fla.) served as a clearinghouse for information about parrot
rescues and arranged drop stations in the Florida panhandle
to evaluate and foster rescued parrots. At press time, the organization
had arranged possible foster care for about 400 companion parrots.
- Pet Supplies “Plus” (Farmington Hills, Mich.)
helped the Michigan Humane Society send rescue teams to hurricane-affected
areas; accepted monetary donations on behalf of the Best Friends
Animal Society Hurricane Relief Fund and Michigan Humane Society
Katrina Relief Fund; and placed donation canisters in its stores.
Petco Animal Supplies Inc. (San Diego) and the Petco Foundation,
at press time had raised $600,000 for Gulf Coast relief efforts
through emergency “round-up” campaigns at all 750-plus
stores; partnered with established animal welfare groups to
ship donated supplies and to provide other support in affected
areas; and added a link for Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief
to its Web site.
- Petfinder.com (Union, N.J.) launched an online animal
emergency response network (http://disaster.petfinder.com) to
link databases allowing people to alert rescuers to the locations
of pets, allowing relief workers to post descriptions and photos
of found pets, and allowing people to volunteer to temporarily
foster pets.
Also, the Petfinder.com Foundation donated $100,000 to help
reunite hurricane-affected families with their pets.
- Petland Inc. (Chillicothe, Ohio) at press time was collecting
donations from employees and customers on behalf of the American
Red Cross and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation.
- PetProTech (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said it will donate
funds for its M.A.G. Oxygen Mask Pet Project through the remainder
of 2005 to PetSmart Charities (Phoenix).
- PetSmart Charities, the charitable arm of PetSmart Inc.
(Phoenix), partnered with animal welfare agencies throughout
the Gulf Coast region to distribute emergency supplies and donations
made through www.petsmartcharities.org as well as other donations.
- Planet Dog Philanthropy, the nonprofit grant-making
arm of Planet Dog (Portland, Maine), donated $1,000 to Noah’s
Wish; and joined local pet-related groups to collect and ship
food, water, medical supplies and other items to affected pets.
- Preuss Animal House (Haslett, Mich.) collected customer
donations throughout September to support HSUS rescue efforts.
- Revival Animal Health Inc. (Orange City, Iowa) and the
American Cat Fanciers Association (Nixa, Mo.) collected donations
for relief organizations.
- Sergeant’s Pet Care Products Inc. (Omaha, Neb.)
shipped pet supplies to the Houston SPCA and to Calcasieu Parish
Animal Services in Lake Charles, La.
- Approximately 65 VCA Animal Hospitals in Alabama, Florida
and Texas, operated by VCA Antech Inc. (Los Angeles), provided
free boarding on a space-available basis for pets from areas
hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina.
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