American Humane Association Rescue Operations Underway in New Mexico

American Humane Association
Thursday, 11 May 2000

Rescuers Utilizing 82-Foot Disaster Relief Vehicle – Animal Planet Rescue - to Rescue Animals Throughout the Region

The American Humane Association (AHA) -- along with Animal Planet Rescue, an 82-foot disaster relief vehicle – is currently in Los Alamos, NM assisting animals trapped by New Mexico's worst wildfires in recent history. According to Dr. Dick Green, AHA's Incident Commander on the scene, rescue teams have been working to bring animals safely out of areas evacuated due to the fires.

Dr. Green reported that yesterday, AHA rescuers were able to assist a number of animals left behind due to evacuations. Working in conjunction with local animal control officials, yesterday's rescue efforts resulted in saving the lives of 12 horses, 25 dogs, 14 cats, rabbits, gerbils, and lizards. All animals were brought to the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society for safety. More animals are being rescued today and delivered to Santa Fe. AHA rescue teams have also been working to bring livestock to safe areas away from the path of the fire.

AHA was able to rescue and transport the animals using Animal Planet Rescue, an 82-foot vehicle that contains all the equipment needed to effectively help animals caught in natural disasters. This includes a veterinary clinic, kennels, rescue equipment, food, water, and sleeping accommodations for rescue teams. This past weekend, Comcast Cable of Albuquerque brought Animal Planet Rescue to the Albuquerque area to train residents on how to provide vital information about how families can proactively protect their pets and animals, and help them when disasters strike. Two local residents who attended these training sessions are currently in Santa Fe, assisting in the rescue efforts.

"Animal Planet Rescue allows the American Humane Association to stage rescue operations wherever we are needed," said Jack Sparks, AHA's Director of Communications. "Without this mobile unit, our rescue teams would have an more extremely difficult time getting to animals in need. With the large number of evacuations taking place in New Mexico, our teams have been able to go into those areas and help bring out animals left behind."

The American Humane Association has been rescuing animals caught in disasters since World War I when it was asked by the U.S. government to help horses injured in battle. This is the third year that AHA has teamed with the cable channel Animal Planet to operate Animal Planet Rescue. Earlier this year, AHA was in Georgia helping animals caught in tornadoes. Last year, AHA and Animal Planet Rescue assisted animals in North Carolina trapped by the devastating floods, in California during wildfires, and in Oklahoma after tornadoes swept through the state.

Launched in October 1996, and now available in 60.7 million homes, Animal Planet offers a wide range of television entertainment including dramatic reality-based series, talk shows, original fictional programming, high-quality children's shows, documentaries, and more. Discovery Networks, U.S., a unit of Discovery Communications, Inc., operates and manages Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery People, Discovery Kids Channel, Discovery Science Channel, Discovery Home & Leisure Channel, Discovery Civilization Channel, Discovery Wings Channel, and Discovery en Español. The unit also markets and distributes BBC America. Visit Animal Planet on the Web at www.Discovery.com.

For more information, or to contact American Humane Association, see their website at: www.americanhumane.org