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

"Speed and turnaround capacity is essential in emergencies such as a wildfire," said Kathy Doyle, vice president of Finance for Animal Evac Volunteers. "To be ready to respond, Animal Evac Volunteers needed another small-animal transport trailer, but buying even a used trailer meant decreasing our funds below a safe operating level. We are very grateful for ASPCA's grant which helped us to purchase a used trailer and refurbish it."

"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 Animal Evac Volunteers 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;

• Montgomery County Animal Rescue in Red Oak, Iowa received $7,000 to provide kennels for stray and abandoned animals displaced by the recent Missouri River flooding;

• 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; and

• 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.

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 Animal Evac Volunteers
Animal Evac Volunteers is an all-volunteer organization that helps Jefferson and Park County (Colorado) animal control officers evacuate pets and other small animals when residents impacted by an emergency are unable to evacuate their animals themselves. Our goals are to provide organized assistance to County personnel who become involved in managing and rescuing animals under emergency conditions. Animal Evac Volunteers is made up of a numerous animal lovers and animal care professionals, including certified veterinary technicians, former animal control officers, and others with experience handling and caring for small animals. For more information on our organization, please visit www.animalevac.org.