The American Humane Association to Send Aid for Illinois Flood

American Humane Association
Thursday, 1 March 2001

The American Humane Association (AHA) and Animal Planet Rescue today announced it will be responding to the flood in Illinois to help rescue animals affected by the disaster.

"We will be in Illinois in less than 24 hours with a team of professionally trained animal rescuers," said Nicholas Gilman, Director of Animal Programs for the American Humane Association. "We are equipped, trained, and empowered to rescue animals in swift water. We encourage people to use our services to help them be reunited with their pets."

Once in Illinois AHA will use the Animal Planet Rescue Truck, an 80-foot long tractor-trailer, as a command station and veterinary clinic. The truck will be stationed at the Colona Community Fire Department. Any residents who would like AHA's assistance in rescuing their pet(s) should call Leslie Vargas at 1-800-227-4645 or the Colona Fire Department at 309-792-3231.

The American Humane Association has been helping animals in disasters since World War I when asked by the US government to form a rescue and ambulance service for injured cavalry horses. The past five years have been among the busiest ever for AHA's emergency animal relief. AHA has rescued animals after every major recent disaster including earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods. Last year, AHA, along with Animal Planet Rescue, spent two-and-a-half weeks in North Carolina helping animals caught in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd.

Launched in October 1996, and now available in 67 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 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.animalplanet.com.

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