The ASPCA Continues To Provide Aftermath Services Related To The World Trade Center Disaster

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Friday, 9 November 2001

The ASPCA continues to provide aftermath services related to the World Trade Center disaster

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) continues to provide services as it relates to the needs of pets and their owners in the aftermath of the World Trade Center disaster. To date, the ASPCA has assisted in the rescue of over 200 pets from homes that were evacuated following the World Trade Center disaster and over 300 have received medical care from ASPCA veterinarians. The ASPCA would like to thank everyone who has volunteered to foster or adopt orphaned animals and those who have offered to provide us with food donations. At the present time we have enough food, supplies and volunteers.

Continuing activities are as follows:
(The need for these support services has decreased significantly over time.)

Foster Care: The ASPCA is helping to arrange foster care for pet-owners who have their pets with them but are no longer able to keep them in their temporary housing. We are matching pet-owners up with pre-screened foster candidates who have volunteered their services. To date, the ASPCA has placed approximately 25 animals in to foster care for extended periods of time.

Receiving Animals For Adoption: The ASPCA has been receiving calls from pet-owners, who in the wake of the disaster have been forced to relinquish their pets, and families of pet-owners who died in the disaster and are unable to care for their pets. The ASPCA is placing these animals in pre-screened homes or putting them up for adoption at the ASPCA shelter.

Bereavement Counseling: The ASPCA is offering counseling services for the few tragic cases in which pets were found dead or are suspected to have died.

Pet Behavioral Counseling: The ASPCA is providing assistance to pet-owners who are reporting post-traumatic behavior problems concerning animals that were stranded during the WTC disaster, e.g. pets' separation anxiety, distress at being left home alone, etc.

Pet Therapy: The ASPCA is continuing to have staff at the Family Relief Center downtown. In addition to the other services being provided, The ASPCA is coordinating Pet Therapy teams to work with grieving/stressed families and provide some stress reduction for the rescue and relief workers.

Rescue of "Mouser" Cats From Abandoned Retail Establishments: The ASPCA has partnered with Neighborhood Cats, a local rescue group, to rescue cats from abandoned restaurants, delis and other retail establishments in the Ground Zero area. The cats had been kept for rodent control.

For more information, or to contact American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, see their website at: www.aspca.org