Disaster Animal Victims of Peru Earthquake Need Our Help NOW: Disaster Animal Victims of Peru Earthquake Need our Help NOW

9/01/07
New Story Link from Best Friends International:
http://network.bestfriends.org/news/postdetail.aspx?gu=international&np=18351
8/31/07
Breaking News:
Just received this from Best Friends Animal Society letter:
". . . And the rescue work continues. A small team from Best Friends is heading out to Peru to help assess the needs of the animals and local groups following the earthquake there. No story on that yet, but we’ll keep you posted."
(follow up to Good News below- didn't want to use their name before they announced it ).

Watch Our Video:
We have a video up on you tube with pictures from Peru please rate it so we can get more coverage and help:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=PeruPetsNeedhelp

From The Field:
I am Thea Martin (volunteer) working with Gerald Pool and Marcia Maxwell - all three of us from California and have hooked up with ASPPA. We have now responded to Ica, Chincha and now Pisco (Pisco 3 times). A team of vet techs and vets are from Canada via Amazoncares are here with us and we are all together responding as a team. The vets take care of spay, neuter, vaccinations and we three are feeding and watering animals. The department of health (Ministries of Health) had two meetings with us and are excited about a larger longer response that we have indicated we would very much like to push for. They are very much in need of food, water, vet supplies, volunteer vets and care givers in all three larger cities mentioned as well as some smaller towns. The department of Heath is excited about the possibility that a large organized response would be a model for South America - especially the education part about pet care and over population issue.
Good News:
One of our US Animal organizations contacted me today for contact information. They are going to go in with a DART (Disaster Assessment and Response Team) which includes a member who is from Peru and lives in the US. (would love to use their name but will wait for permission).

This is my first Blog so please be kind. 8/30/07

About Me (seriously not into shameless self promotion but want to tell about myself for credibility):

I am a trained Animal Disaster Response volunteer. I trained with a National organization in the US. I have responded to Katrina (adopted a HW+ injured, blind in one eye Border Collie), a fire and flood and help with animal disaster preparedness training and awareness.

In 2006, 200 homes in my community flooded, including my own. I evacuated my six year old son, 3 dogs and twenty-eight parrots alone in waist deep water. During that time I also rescued and adopted a horse and got a small scale animal rescue going locally. We went into condemned areas and got out trapped pets whose owners were not allowed in, did food drops, set up a temporary shelter in my friend’s grooming shop and coordinated with local vets and boarding facilities. (Lived with my parents for eight months after I lost my house and am still recovering financially, repairing my home and my barn)

I have a MA in Special Education and teach eight grade special ed. My job did give me unpaid leave for Katrina and 1 day unpaid for the fire (I backed it up to time off and weekend) but they have denied other unpaid leave and have been less than sympathetic on other occasions. Apparently I am the only person in my district of 5,000+ people who wants do Disaster Response work of any kind and take leave without pay to do it.

How this became my cause:

I have three close friends (trained Disaster Response people, two are also psychologists who do trauma counseling in disaster zones) in Peru. The responded right after the call for animal assistance came in. I would be there right now but am unable to afford the transportation costs associated from the trip. May end up there yet if that is my path since things fall together for me in the exact way they need to happen for growth, self awareness and in my quest to help animals and others. If I go I will be using ½ of my sick leave for the year to do it.

I received a call from them Sunday, August 26 begging for any help I can get to them and in. So far their expenses have been over $3,000 half of that for a vehicle rental for the week. They told me the animal situation is desperate and Peru needs help. I started an e-mail campaign to get them some donations then began e-mailing and calling contacts across the US to try to raise awareness and get some help down there.

What friends and I have been trying to do:

1. Organize a team(s) of trained volunteers including vet techs and possibly a zoo vet to go down into the region with medical supplies to hook up with local existing animal organizations and help them in whatever capacity needed.

2. Find individual and/or corporate sponsors to pay for their travel expenses and vehicle rental costs so they can get there. (We can get medical supplies donated through and from contacts)

3. Find a nonprofit willing to get on board to accept donations for volunteer travel expenses and Peru animals so that donations would be deductible

4. Solicit donations from various organizations to be shipped directly to Peru (there seems to be an issue of cost effectiveness and customs) or to be taken in the country with volunteers. In process- have some commitments

5. Find a way to prevent customs issues for volunteers taking animal supplies in. DONE- have three contacts in the Peruvian Consulate who have shown me what paperwork is needed and how to expedite the process.

6. Disseminate information coming directly out of Peru and have bilingual friends translate and contact local people in the field.

7. Develop media interest for this situation

8. maintain daily contact with my friends by phone and e-mail to keep current on the situation

What We Know:

The animal situation is bad and getting worse every day.

The Ministry of Health has requested international assistance for help with the animals.

Many animals were abandoned by their owners and left to fend for themselves. There are injured animals roaming the streets and trapped.

There is talk of killing ALL stray animals (including abandoned pets) roaming the streets in some towns. Poisoning has been mentioned but people and children are eating the food left out for the animals so shooting would be the way of culling.

There are three local organizations in Peru working for the animals: ASPPA-Peru, Amazon CARES and HUAW HUAW. (am researching a fourth I heard about today).

ASPPA-Peru and Amazon CARES are working together. Amazon CARES is a registered nonprofit in the US. They have agreed to take donations and transfer those marked for ASPPA-Peru to them. They are trying to get in contact with HUAW HUAW.

Our Canadian brothers and sisters in the north, stepped up as always, and sent a team of 14 vets into the area. They will be there for three weeks.

Some small teams from US organizations (ARNO) are down there but the need is great and the resources and volunteers are few. (have heard rumors of small teams and assessment teams from other organizations but have not confirmed these)

What They are Doing:

The vets and vet techs are doing spays/neuters on tables and desks in less than sanitary conditions with minimal equipment and supplies. They are vaccinating. They are treating injured animals. Treated animals get a red color so workers know they have been treated and if it comes to a killing time they might be spared.

Volunteers are doing food drops, working with locals who need animal help, attending meetings and trying to get other plans in place with city ministers to avoid mass kills of animals.

Note: The minister of Pisco is receptive to opening an animal shelter (modeled after Katrina shelters) if supplies and volunteers can be found.

What You Can Do:

1. raise awareness about the criticalness of this issue to SAVE animals

2. Sponsor volunteers

3. volunteer

4. Donate

Animal Organization Links, Blogs, stories (some are in Spanish):

http://www.ASPPA-Peru.org

http://www.amazoncares.upcsites.org/newsletters/newsletter/4866003/44235.htm

http://network.bestfriends.org/international/news/18313.html

http://network.bestfriends.org/international/news/18243.html

http://fecipa.blogspot.com/2007/08/asociacion-huaw-huaw-de-peru-hace.html