Relief Programs for Gulf Coast Pets

If you've been reading my blog, you know we've kinda been keeping tabs on what's going on in the gulf, in regards to the animal welfare situation. If you haven't been reading, we talked about the wildlife rescue in the gulf, pet shelters, and the turtle rescue that's ongoing. On August 1, the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) announced that it's Animal Disaster Relief and Response Fund, which is designated to support state and national disaster relief efforts, will be initiating a program designed to help support veterinary clinics and shelters affected by struggling pet owners who are unable to provide food and medical care for their pets. The Gulf Coast Pet Relief Program, its being called, will also be funded by the AVMF's corporate partners, Hill's Pet Nutrition and Merial.

The program is being launched in response to the record number of pets filling up shelters and the increasing need of support along the Gulf coast. The AVMF reports that "the number of pets being surrendered by families in extreme financial hardship has skyrocketed since the oil spill with various shelters reporting up to four times as many animals being given up for adoption since this time last year."

The AVMF and it's partners will provide a total of $145,000 to Gulf coast area veterinary clinics and shelters that have graciously provided goods and services to their affected clients at no charge. “Pet‐related issues in the Gulf continue to escalate, which is why we called upon our partners to come together to provide relief,” said Michael Cathey, executive director of AVMF. “Our hope is to ease the pet care challenges families and shelters in the Gulf are facing by providing funding and resources for food and medical care.”

A similar campaign called the Gulf Coast Companion Animal Relief Program, led by the Louisiana SPCA and made possible by a grant from the ASPCA, has been in action for a couple of weeks now. Free basic veterinary care and pet food is being given through this program to pet owners of Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard Parish, Terrebonne Parish and Jefferson Parish that have been affected by the spill. Proof of eligibility is required.

“A primary mission of the ASPCA is to provide support and resources to communities in need,” says Julie Morris, SVP of Community Outreach at the ASPCA. “Through the generous contributions of our donors we are pleased to join in this collaborative effort to positively impact the companion animals affected by the Gulf Coast tragedy and improve a dire situation for hundreds of families.”

If you're interested in supporting the AVMF's Gulf Coast Pet Relief program visit www.avmf.org/gulfcoastpetrelief. Additional clinics seeking assistance are encouraged to contact the AVMF for reimbursement of their services.

To volunteer or donate to the Gulf Coast Companion Animal Relief program, visit http://www.la-spca.org/gulfcoastreliefspca.org/gulfcoastrelief.