Disaster Response

Nearly 100 animals are on the move. ASPCA responders are currently en route to Long Island animal shelter Bobbi and the Strays, and they’ve got some precious cargo.

In anticipation of Hurricane Irene, animals being sheltered at Bobbi and the Strays were evacuated from its Long Island shelter to its adoption center in Queens. Today they were ready to go back home. The ASPCA assisted with the transport.

“While the storm has passed, our priority still remains to assist with any animal care and sheltering needs,” says Tim Rickey, ASPCA Senior Director of Field Investigations and Response. “We were happy to help Bobbi and the Strays transport these animals back to their main shelter site.”

Over the weekend, the ASPCA assisted with emergency sheltering and relief for displaced pets throughout the five boroughs of New York City.

“Our responders visited evacuation centers to assist with setup, evaluate the status of pets being housed, and deliver emergency pet supplies,” explains Rickey. “While we expected the storm to be worse than it was, our team was prepared to provide support where needed.”

As Hurricane Irene threatens a large swath of land along the Eastern Seaboard, the ASPCA is deploying emergency responders to help rescue and shelter animals displaced by the storm. Members of our Field Investigations and Response Team are working closely with the New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and the OEM’s Animal Planning Task Force to assist with the city’s disaster relief efforts.

The ASPCA encourages pet parents to develop an emergency plan in advance of the storm, and include potential evacuation in that plan. “Disasters threaten the safety of people and animals alike, and it’s often too late to create a plan for your pets when you’re in the middle of a crisis,” says Tim Rickey, Senior Director of the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team. For families who must leave their homes, evacuation centers and emergency shelters in New York City will be pet friendly, and people are encouraged to evacuate with their pets. Please call 311 to find an evacuation center. All NYC taxis are required to take animals.

UPDATE: Download a PDF of the NYC Hurricane Evacuation Map.

The ASPCA offers the following tips:

• Bring pets indoors at the first sign of the storm. Animals can become disoriented and wander away from home during a disaster.
• Arrange a safe haven for yourself and your pets in the event of evacuation. Do not leave pets behind.
• Store an emergency kit—with items such as pet food, bottled water, medical records, a blanket, a flashlight and leashes—as close to an exit as possible.
• Make sure all pets wear collars and tags with up-to-date identification.
• Affix a rescue alert sticker to your front door or window to let rescuers know that there are pets inside your home.
• Choose a designated caregiver to take care of your pet in the event you are unable to do so.

For more information on how to keep yourself and your pet safe in the event of an emergency, please read our complete list of Disaster Readiness tips. Stay tuned to ASPCA.org for the latest on this developing story.

Thank you! With your support our grants team was just able to launch the ASPCA Disaster Fund to help shelters and other animal welfare groups affected by or responding to the recent storms.

“After our Field Investigations and Response Team witnessed firsthand the incredible devastation, we wanted to offer additional aid,” says ASPCA President & CEO Ed Sayres. “The ASPCA Disaster Fund will provide critical resources to help these local groups protect and care for animals in their communities.”

Thank You, Rachael Ray!
As part of the relief effort, TV personality Rachael Ray, with her dog food line Nutrish and her philanthropic initiative Rachael’s Rescue, has pledged her support with a really generous contribution of both funds and pet food.

“I am a huge lover of animals, and I simply can’t bear the thought of them homeless, hungry and in need of care,” says Rachael Ray. “One of the main factories where our Nutrish Just 6 treats are manufactured is located in Joplin, so this tragedy has really hit home and we knew we needed to spring into action and help. I’m so happy I could join the incredible efforts already underway by the ASPCA in helping families find their pets and care for animals in their community—we started Nutrish and Rachael’s Rescue for this very purpose.”

Take Action!
If your local shelter is in need of emergency funding, learn more about applying for an ASPCA Disaster Fund grant today. Want to help? The ASPCA relies on the continued support of our members to provide these vital services. Please text PLEDGE to 25383 to donate $10 to our disaster relief efforts!

As Joplin copes with the aftermath of the most lethal single tornado on record, the ASPCA’s emergency response team continues to work tirelessly to rescue and shelter affected animals. More than 350 animals have been brought—most by their families—to the temporary shelter we’re operating in conjunction with the Joplin Humane Society.

Things are starting to look brighter for these animals. By Thursday morning, more than 60 had been reunited with their families! On Wednesday, even as the threat of more severe weather loomed, 20 pets went home in just one hour. Says ASPCA Senior Director of Field Investigations and Response Tim Rickey, a Joplin native: “It was a wonderful day.”

Our work is not yet done, and none of it would be possible without generous donations from our members, supply providers like PetSmart Charities and other in-state groups, and countless compassionate volunteers. On Wednesday alone, 150 volunteers arrived at our shelter to help, and we put them to work right away. And shelters around Missouri continue to accept adoptable animals from Joplin.

Says Rickey, “The outpouring of support from the community, the state and elsewhere has been exceptional.”

Please help us support the animal victims of recent disasters in the South and Midwest. Text PLEDGE to 25383 to donate $10 today!