The earthquake in Haiti has injured hundreds of thousands of people, and Americans have reportedly donated more than $380 million to date toward disaster relief for the victims of the quake. As efforts to help the men, women, and children of the country continue, animal lovers of the world are left to wonder about the fates of Haiti’s pets.
According to veterinarians in Haiti, walls around yards have been destroyed and countless pets are now displaced. They estimate that 150,000 dogs in the Port-au-Prince region alone are left to wander the streets.
There is still limited information about the consequences of the earthquake for companion animals in Haiti. Nonetheless, the American Humane Society has deployed to Haiti to assist in an international effort to help the country’s animals.
The American Humane Society enters a partnership with countless volunteers who have established an Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti, and they will be joined by the World Society for the Protection of Animals in their efforts to establish a feeding program for community dogs.
Haitian officials admit that they have neglected animal welfare up to this point. "We had not considered including animals in the [relief] plans we’re working up now, but after meeting with ARCH, we can see that would be good," said Haitian Minister of Environment Jean Marie Claude Germain.
Both Haitian officials and ARCH understand that the protection of animals and humans are not mutually exclusive in the aftermath of the earthquake. One of the first initiatives will be a vaccination program that will prevent the spread of disease between animals and human populations.
The American Humane Society has donated an initial $25,000 to help fund the ARCH coalition, and they anticipate donating more in the near future.
"It is our hope that the experience we all gained after Katrina, and the partnerships we have been building since then, will be demonstrated in the number of animals’ lives we save and the Haitian families we help in the coming weeks and months," said Debrah Schnackenberg, vice president of American Humane’s Animal Protection Division. 