ASPCA Provides More Than $30,000 in Grants to Aid Organizations for Disaster Preparedness and Response

NEW YORK--The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced it will provide seven organizations, including the Montgomery County Animal Rescue in Red Oak, Iowa, with more than $30,000 in grant funding dedicated to providing aid for groups affected by recent severe weather incidents or helping improve disaster preparedness measures in the community.

The Montgomery County Animal Rescue received a $7,000 grant to provide kennels for stray and abandoned animals displaced by the recent Missouri River flooding, which impacted communities throughout Southwest Iowa.

"Since evacuation and the eventual closure of the neighboring Loess Hills Humane Society in Mills County, Iowa, the requests for assistance from individuals and communities affected by the Missouri River flooding far exceeded our abilities to safely house pets in need," stated Jan Black, president of Montgomery County Animal Rescue. "This grant from the ASPCA will allow our all-volunteer organization to continue to assist families and companion animals in crisis and be more prepared of future disasters in our area."

"The ASPCA assisted in numerous disaster response operations from April through September this year, and we wanted to continue to offer assistance with funding to help communities that have been affected by disasters, or are taking necessary steps to prepare for a disaster," added Allison Cardona, program development and grants officer for the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response team. "We are especially supportive of groups such as the Montgomery County Animal Rescue who are committed to the welfare of animals. We hope that our grant will enable them to care for and protect countless more animals in its community."

Additionally, the following grant recipients received funds related to disaster preparedness and response:

• Little Fork Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company, Inc. in Rixeyville, Va. received $8,000 to purchase a large animal rescue trailer that allows the fire department to enhance its large animal and equine rescue capabilities;

• Florida State Animal Response Coalition in Bushnell, Fla. received $5,000 to train volunteers and instructors to enhance statewide disaster and response;

• Austin Humane Society in Austin, Texas received $5,000 to purchase food, medical supplies, and other resources to provide care and treatment for animals affected by the wildfires in nearby Bastrop;

• Equamore Foundation in Ashland, Ore. received $4,000 to provide large animal rescue and disaster response training for law enforcement officers, emergency first responders, search and rescue personnel, and animal rescue groups throughout the state;

• Florida English Bulldog Rescue in Odessa, Fla. received $1,200 to purchase a generator to serve as a back-up and power its facility in an event of a disaster; and

• Animal Evac Volunteers, Inc. in Pine, Colo. received $1,000 to purchase an emergency animal transport trailer to relocate a large number of animals to safety.

The ASPCA Field Investigations and Response team frequently responds to natural disasters, including major events like this year's tornado in Joplin, Mo., as well as Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008 and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The ASPCA is commonly called upon by state and municipal governments and other animal welfare agencies to lend expertise during large-scale animal rescue operations. This year alone, the ASPCA has assisted more than 20,000 animals in communities throughout the U.S. that were severely affected by tornadoes, flooding and storms.

For information on disaster preparedness and safety tips from the ASPCA, please click here.

About Montgomery County Animal Rescue
The Montgomery County Animal Rescue (MCAR), located in Red Oak, Iowa, was established in 2001 as an all volunteer nonprofit 501(c)(3)under the Red Oak Heritage Foundation, a Community Foundation. The focus of MCAR is to serve the community as an organized animal welfare group promoting spaying and neutering of companion animals, educating the public on responsible pet ownership, helping families in crisis retain their pets and facilitating adoptions for stray and abandoned animals into loving and caring homes. MCAR receives no funding through government agencies, but relies on donations, adoption fees, fundraising and grants from individuals and organizations. Contact MCAR through their website www.adoptourdogs.com.