After two of the strongest earthquakes to strike Venezuela in more than a century caused unfathomable devastation and death, our disaster relief team has now arrived to give emergency relief for animals, such as dogs, cats and other animals, and support their human families and caregivers.
We have offered an emergency grant to a local organization, Red de Apoyo Canino (Canine Support Network), to support its efforts to swiftly dispatch veterinary and relief supplies. And when Red de Apoyo requested our on-the-ground support, we immediately agreed to send help.
Over the past week, our team of nine rescuers—comprised of our colleagues from Mexico and Latin America—prepared for and began their journey.
Red de Apoyo Canino
The team, which arrived on Monday and Tuesday this week, is setting up mobile veterinary clinics to assist displaced animals and distribute emergency food, veterinary and animal supplies in the heavily impacted areas of Caracas and La Guaira.
There are camps for internally displaced people, where families have brought their animals with them. Our veterinary teams are focused on bringing care and help to these families, doing everything possible to help people and animals displaced by the emergency to stay together.
Red de Apoyo Canino
Our team is also helping Red de Apoyo Canino coordinate and manage donations and mobilize volunteers to aid in this massive relief effort.
Felipe Márquez, Humane World for Animals’ disaster response manager for Latin America, is leading the deployment. “It’s heartbreaking to see people and animals suffering the physical and psychological impacts of a disaster of this magnitude,” Felipe says.
Red de Apoyo Canino
I often make the point that the fate of people and animals is inextricable. And this is one of those cases where this truth is so painfully apparent. I am deeply proud of our teams around the world who respond to disasters and help animals and communities in need.
Red de Apoyo Canino
This is all part of our core belief that we can reduce animal suffering by responding in the immediate aftermath of disaster and help to build community resilience by investing in long-term preparedness, mitigation and recovery to better empower communities before disasters strike.
We will continue to keep you posted on how our on-the-ground efforts to help animals and those who care for them in Venezuela develop. Donate to our Emergency Animal Relief Fund.
Kitty Block is president and CEO of Humane World for Animals. Follow Kitty Block.
