Hurricane Katrina, which occurred in 2005, was an eye opener for many folks in the United States. One of the most devastating disasters in our recent history, man and animals were faced with struggling to survive while they awaited rescue help and services.
While many pets perished from the hurricane’s wrath, something worthwhile did come out of the horrible event that still haunts the folks living in the area where the devastation was the worst. Man learned that there is a need for organizations that can help animals displaced by natural disasters.
Merial, the manufacturer of animal supplies such as Frontline and Heartguard, began working with the Petfinder.com Foundation, an organization that runs one of the largest homeless pet databases on the Internet, and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that supports disaster preparedness and response services, to launch a program that became known as “The Race to Save Pets.”
Although no one has really won the race, great strides have been made in rescuing and placing dogs that were displaced by natural disasters. Within a few months of its inception, “The Race to Save Pets” was able to help more than 17,000 animals. The group managed to reunite almost 3,200 pets with their families, giving us many happy ever after tales to tell.
“The Race to Save Pets” evolved into “Paws to Save Pets.” In 2006, the year following the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the program raised more than $800,000 to help animals affected by natural disasters.
In 2008, the Petfinder.com Foundation was able to help by donating $1,000,000 worth of generators to shelters and rescue groups nationwide. They gave another $135,000 in disaster preparedness grants to 31 organizations over the same time period. Another $200,000 in hurricane relief was given to 50 groups.
Following the Midwest flooding in 2008, $36,000 were granted to 16 organizations to help displaced animals.
Since 2006, the American Veterinary Medical Foundation awarded more than $500,000 in disaster preparedness grants to 21 state organizations. In 2008, the group provided $25,000 is disaster training sponsorship grants to five state organizations. More than $100,000 was awarded to veterinarians who provided services in 2007 and 2008 for natural disasters. More than $32,000 was given to aid 16 veterinarians with disaster relief during the Midwest flooding in 2008.
Since that time, “Paws to Save Pets” has continued to provide relief measures through its support of the Petfinder.com Foundation and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation. This allows them to meet the needs of animals coast to coast in the United States.
The “Paws to Save Pets” program is still committed to funding emergency preparedness training as a means of supporting animal care professionals and pet owners within the United States. When a natural disaster does occur, the program becomes a means of providing emergency care and medical assistance. Those who work with the program are dedicated to reuniting rescued pets with their families.
As with any successful program, ongoing funding is a major part of the recipe to provide helpful services. Pet lovers can help by donating to the Petfinder.com Foundation at www.petfinderfoundation.com or American Veterinary Medical Foundation.
Those interested in helping can also purchase a collar for their pet for the sum of $10. To learn more about this opportunity, visit here.
Please consider helping. Your support can mean the difference between life and death for innocent pets caught in the onslaught of a disaster.
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