Haitian Pets and Rescue Animals Not Overlooked

Veterinarians Join Rescue Efforts

A team from the international animal welfare organization World Society for the Protection of Animals landed in Haiti last weekend, bringing much needed supplies and medical experts to alongside the humanitarian aid groups to help the animals that people so desperately rely on in this impoverished country.

According to the American Pet Products Association, it is estimated that Haiti was home to 5,925 poultry, 1,450,000 cattle, 1,900,000 goats, 500,000 horses, 80,000 mules, 1 million pigs and 153,000 sheep before the earthquake.

According to figures from the Haiti government, only about 100,000 Haitian dogs (from an estimated population of 500,000) were vaccinated against rabies last year.  In addition, the Haitian government lacks sufficient medicines and vaccines to protect pigs, cattle and other livestock against common illnesses, such as anthrax and pig cholera.  The rescue teams have put together the necessary equipment and medicines, including vaccinations and bandages.

In addition to these efforts, the Humane Society of the United States, together with its global affiliate Humane Society International and the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, has assembled a team of trained veterinary experts to arrive in the capital city of Port-au-Prince this weekend.

These groups also plan to administer aid to the search and rescue dogs that have been deployed to find both the survivors and those who perished during the massive earthquake that struck the incredibly impoverished nation on January 12. The team is also helping to work up an extensive long-term plan which includes options for creating and improving infrastructure for veterinary care, a large-scale vaccination program and animal population control services.

Search and rescue dogs and their handlers from search and rescue organizations all over the world have gathered in Haiti, adding to the world-wide financial and medical support. These hero dogs are just one of the many examples of the way pets enrich the lives of not only their families but also contribute to society as a whole.

We tip our hats at these amazing hero dogs and their handlers, offering our deepest gratitude for their ongoing service in times of crisis.