reputable animal rescue groups heading to Haiti?

[shireen]

Does anyone know of efficient reputable animal rescue groups who plan to launch rescue operations in Haiti?

Before anyone starts yelling at me, just stop right there! I know that the current priority is human rescues. But at some point, animal rescue groups will also be heading in to help treat and rescue injured animals. Some of us want to help animals too.

I looked around to see what some major international organizations were doing, and am not sure what to do. HSUS is on standby. IFAW and WSPA are monitoring the situation. I've checked their charity navigator ratings, but that only explains how they use their funds. Does anyone know anything about their international reputations? Can you suggest other groups who will be able to launch effective operations when they're allowed in to Haiti?

[niyad]

1. you won't catch any flak from me--you raised an important issue.

[MineralMan]

2. I'm sure they are, but I haven't seen any doggies in any of the

photos so far, other than rescue dogs. I'm not sure that pets are all that common in that impoverished country.

[jenharwell]

43. dogs in pictures--

oh yes, they are there---skinny, thirsty, etc. just do a web search--you'll see the photos and they are being utterly ignored!!!

[lukasahero]

3. Best Friends is updating on Facebook

They are ready to go but there is little word on the animal population at this time.

[shireen]

4. thanks ... i like them. nt.

[lukasahero]

10. Me, too.

It sounds like they're all in the same boat you mention in your OP: waiting to get in.

I've been watching some of the island animal rescue groups to see if they have updates but have seen nothing yet. (Guessing they're too busy to update the web sites...) Some to watch if you're unfamiliar: http://www.saveasato.org , http://www.islanddog.org and http://www.amigosdelosanimalespr.org

[shireen]

21. thanks ... please post of you hear anything, nt

[mitchum]

12. They have a ....hmmm...hmmm...very interesting history

Process Church of the Final Judgement

[shireen]

15. i don't care about their religious affiliations

I saw what they did during Katrina. They were incredible and they have my support.

They have a show on National Geographic called Dogtown.

Wonderful caring people, and very hard workers. For me, that's the only thing that counts.

[mitchum]

19. As it is...so be it

They were a fascinating nutjob cult

[lukasahero]

36. That "affiliation" is 30 yrs old and tenuous at best... eom

[mitchum]

51. It is hardly "tenuous"...so be it

[northernlights]

57. they also rehabbed Vick's dogs

Best Friends is a fabulous rescue. I hope to volunteer there someday.

[pecwae]

49. Who gives a shit?

They help animals.

[mitchum]

53. Who gives a shit? Those of us who find nutjob cults to be fascinating.

[Hidden Stillness]

5. This is Very Important, Along with Everything Else

This is an extremely important point, and is one more thing among everything else that needs to be done: food and water, construction equipment, recapturing prisoners who escaped when the prison collapsed, medicine and medical personnel, generators for electricity, books for libraries, on and on. Animal rescue and care is right up there along with everything else. I haven't heard of specifics, but I know that after Katrina/Rita, many people from our Michigan Humane Society, local shelters, etc., up here, went there to help, as did organized individuals and groups from the rest of the country.

[alsame]

6. K&R. I care about the animals too. I'm a member of the

HSUS and ASPCA, so if I get any email updates about their rescue efforts I'll post them. Right now, both are saying they are monitoring the situation and will help if needed.

[hlthe2b]

7. The efforts should be ongoing... there will be major disease risk

if the animal issue is not also addressed--which more than justifies working to deal with both the human and animal carnage...

SO, the "can't possibly talk about saving pets when human life is at stake" crowd can just take that to heart. As bad as the mortality will be from this devastating earthquake, it may well pale to the deaths from disease in future days and weeks unless herculean efforts are successful in evacuating the majority of people and setting up water/sewage/living infrastructure for those who remain behind (not to mention mosquito/vector control)

[shireen]

16. excellent point, thanks. nt

[Polly Hennessey]

8. Animal Groups

I usually contribute to WSPA when it is international. They do a great job of helping all kinds of animals worldwide. Best Friends is capable of doing a great job too. Watch their program Dogtown on National Geographic. I am standing by to give when the call goes out. I made my decision a long time ago to give my contributions to animal relief and have never had a regret on my decision. The animals in improvished countries live in pretty bad conditions on a daily basis so disasters compound the problem twenty-fold.

[shireen]

22. thanks for the WSPA info.

(edited to fix typo)

Of all the animal rescue sites that mention Haiti, they seemed to be the most prepared to deploy teams when given the go-ahead to proceed. I believe the staging is being done in Panama.

From
http://animalsindisasters.typepad.com/wspa/2010/01/earthquake-in-haiti-preparing-to-respond.html
Posted by Gerardo Huertas - Disaster Operations Director on 01/13/2010 at 06:22 PM


Earthquake in Haiti: Preparing to respond

My team and I have been closely monitoring the situation in Haiti since the devastating earthquake hit the capital, Port-au-Prince, last night. With most communications infrastructure down, it meant we had a long night waiting for information that beyond sketchy news reports.

Since this morning, we have been in talks with the United Nations (under serious stress themselves since their office in Port-au-Prince has collapsed, with 15 staff members dead and 20 still missing) and the local Red Cross Chapters to gain a further understanding of the impact on animals caught up in the situation.

Our Disaster Liaison Officer from Panama, Jorge Alcidez Gonzalez who also works as the Head of the K9 unit of Civil Defence, is now travelling out of Panama with a team of specially trained staff and will assess the destruction and welfare needs of the animals. Jorge and his brave team will be treating as many animals as they are able to help.

I have also arranged for him to feedback the extent of the damage and let us know where we can be of most help as quickly as possible.

[Xenotime]

9. I hope there is comfort for the animals. Thank you for brining this to light.

[Warpy]

11. The ASPCA has already asked for donations

but I think Fido will likely be on the menu before this is over and there is no way I can blame them for that.

[jberryhill]

13. Fido and Kitty have been on the menu for a while there /nt

[Matariki]

45. That is slanderous bullshit

what sort of proof of that do you have?

[jberryhill]

52. WTF are you on about?

Haiti has been having a severe food crisis prior to this event.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6281614.ece

Haiti: the land where children eat mud


There is nothing "slanderous" about the observation that under famine conditions, people eat dogs and cats. People around the world have been eating dogs and cats for ages, even under non-famine conditions. There is nothing "magic" about dogs and cats - they are meat just like any other animals humans eat, such as rats, birds, horses, goats, cows, pigs and chickens.

Dogs and cats were domesticated for other purposes, but people certainly eat them. In a culture where people do not normally eat rats, cats and dogs, those animals certainly get eaten when things get to the point where people are using mud to supplement rice.

Having had a parent who grew up in a wartime deprivation situation, I have heard first hand how all of the cats disappeared - and that was in Europe.

If the fact that people eat these animals seems "slanderous" to you, then it is only because you have been blessed with a comfortable upbringing.

[Matariki]

54. You are ignorant of what Haitians are like

Do you know any Haitians? Ever been there? Because I have, and Haitians are no more likely to eat dogs or cats than Americans are.

Your flip comment about fido being on the menu is absurd and you don't know what you're talking about.

[jberryhill]

55. Humans - all humans - will eat anything in a famine

Stranded after a plane crash in the Andes, the Uruguayan rugby team survived in part, by emergency cannibalism.

That is not a reflection on anyone's ethics or culture, it is simply survival.

I'd wonder about someone who would NOT eat a dog or cat, when famine conditions are such that people are eating mud simply to have something in their stomach.

Again, it is a tribute to the comfort of your situation that you believe it is some sort of insult, rather than common behavior in a food emergency - in Europe, America, Asia, or wherever hungry people are.

[joeybee12]

14. In sucha cpoor country, a pet is really a luxury, still any that are there

will desperately need help.

[shireen]

18. people will do what they need to do to survive,

and we don't have a right to pass judgment on any such actions. Your point is well-taken. But that's a separate issue not covered by the scope of my post.

[upi402]

17. people first, get real

has human life become this devalued? i'm vegetarian in the main due to not wanting to kill animals to feed me, but seriously

[shireen]

20. READ THE DAMN OP BEFORE POSTING THIS CRAP.

I stated -- CLEARLY -- in my OP that human rescues will have priority. Those of us who wish to help animals are thinking ahead to their needs. There's no reason why we cannot extend our help to non-humans.

Why the hell do you feel compelled to interject such an insensitive comment at a time like this? If you don't like what we're talking about, GO AWAY.

And welcome to my ignore list.

[Polly Hennessey]

23. Insensitive comment

Shireen,

We will always have the insensitive --- my advice to us is just ignore them. The greatest help is going to the human victims surely we have enough generousity to include the non-human. I think I'll put upi402 on my ignore list too. Hummmmm, now I feel much better.

[Coventina]

25. Hugs to you, shireen. It was inevitable that a post like that would be made.

I'm only surprised it took that long.

Some humans forget that homo sapiens is an animal species, and ultimately, we're all in this together.

[shireen]

30. thanks Polly and Coventina ...

usually i don't pay attention to this crap. but with the way we're all feeling right now, it's hard to be restrained. I've been regularly contributing to an organization called http://www.lambifund.org">The Lambi Fund, which promotes democratic social and economic empowerment of Haitians to help them become more self-sustainable. They are not first-responders, but in the months and years ahead, they will be working very hard as second-responders to help rebuild the country. Therefore, I feel personally invested and emotionally attached to Haiti. And heart-broken.

So, yes, I care deeply about the people. But not at the exclusion of animals.

[upi402]

28. humans have been devalued. shoot the messenger if you want

i wont apologize for being rational in prioritizing. i bet i do more than almost all here to help animals and alleviate their suffering.

[joeybee12]

29. Will you apologize for this knee-jerk, stupid post? nt/

[upi402]

33. apologize for wanting to focus on human suffering? who's stupid and knee-jerk here?

do you eat meat?
own a pet?

look in the mirror, does your talk match your walk? mine does, i'm fine.

[superduperfarleft]

38. Hey St. Upi...

If you're only vegetarian, you're still killing animals. Maybe before you lecture people about how perfect you are, you should get your own house in order. Or maybe you should just not shit all over a thread where the OP specifically stated that yours wasn't the type of response she was looking for.

[yewberry]

44. You're embarrassing us.

Please stop.

No, I don't eat meat. I'm vegan.
No, I don't "own a pet." I live with and care for 4 'rescued' companion animals.

I don't have to talk to walk the walk. You?

P.S. Some of us are capable of caring about more than one thing at a time. Please think about that, given the OP's plea.

[uppityperson]

47. apologize for obviously NOT reading the message/body of the post

seems your reaction and now defensiveness stems from that.

Here, I'll make it easy for you "I know that the current priority is human rescues. But at some point, animal rescue groups will also be heading in to help treat and rescue injured animals. Some of us want to help animals too."

[shireen]

31. ah ... we have a saint in our midst

with a heart three sizes too small.

opps, better go click the ignore button before i see another post from you.

[Ignis]

34. ...But not by this OP. Time to apologize.

:spank:

[upi402]

35. not apologizing for puting people first

do you eat meat?
own a pet?
wear leather?

look in the mirror, does your talk match your walk? mine does, i'm fine.

[Ignis]

37. LOL. I've been a veg*n for almost 20 years.

The OP clearly stated "people first."
You either didn't read that part, or didn't believe the OP.

Which was it?

---

ETA: Here's the second paragraph of the OP, in its entirety:

Before anyone starts yelling at me, just stop right there! I know that the current priority is human rescues. But at some point, animal rescue groups will also be heading in to help treat and rescue injured animals. Some of us want to help animals too.

Note: The OP says "too."

Not "first," not "exclusively," not "most importantly."

Just "too."

[hlthe2b]

39. Read the entire thread so that you have some clue as to

the points being made before posting such kneejerk (and very inappropriate) response. It is you that is being inappropriate.

[pecwae]

48. There are dozens of threads

here that discuss the terrible human tragedy. Did you somehow miss all of them? What's the point of intentionally misreading an OP and coming in to shit on it?

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Polly Hennessey]

26. Does that include you?

[flvegan]

27. HSI/HSUS and UAN, hopefully

Humane Society International and United Animal Nations both have EXCELLENT first responders teams. I've had the pleasure of serving with both. As for reputations, HSI/HSUS probably has one of the best reputations in the animal welfare biz. UAN is much lesser known, but among the grunts that do the work on the ground, we hold them in high regard.

I'd highly recommend to anyone signing up to attend UANs EARS volunteer training. Even if you never plan to head into a disaster, the training is invaluable for anyone that has pets, should a disaster strike near you.

[shireen]

32. thanks Fivegan, i knew you'd have some valuable info to contribute ...

:hi:

[Ignis]

40. Thanks for the info about UAN.

I knew about HSI, but I'll have to look into UAN as well.

:yourock:

[kimi]

41. After giving to some of the human aid groups,

I've been looking for info on the animal welfare groups. Thanks! I'll be looking for updates on these folks.

[jenharwell]

42. animal rescue in haiti

NO issue. I'm willing to get on next plane. Can anybody coordinate OR does anybody know ANY good org heading in???

[Raine]

46. K & R nt

:thumbsup:

[pecwae]

50. K&R.

[lukasahero]

56. Just got an update for you

"FAW, WSPA, and Other Groups Band Together To Help Animals in Haiti

YARMOUTH PORT, Mass., Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) have formally agreed to head up a coalition of groups to address the needs of animals in Haiti following the earthquake that devastated the country.

On January 12, a 7.0 earthquake – the largest in 200 years – rocked the small island nation, reducing buildings to rubble, and demolished the capital, Port-au-Prince. Tens of thousands of people are feared dead and countries such as the United States have pledged troops and aid to the Caribbean nation. The international response to the devastation has been the largest outpouring of support since Asia's 2004 tsunami.

In addition to the massive humanitarian crisis, there are an estimated 5 million head of livestock in the country (mostly goats), a large stray dog population, an untold number of companion animals, and native wildlife all adversely affected by the earthquake.

IFAW and WSPA have formally agreed to lead a coalition of animal-related charities to collaborate on all work in Haiti. The belief is that partnering across organizations is the most effective way to address the serious and enormous problems facing animals in Haiti."

More at the link:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ifaw-wspa-and-other-groups-band-together-to-help-animals-in-haiti-81700622.html