AHA and Animal Planet Rescue on Staten Island to Support Recovery Efforts

American Humane Association
Thursday, 27 September 2001

The American Humane Association (AHA) and Animal Planet Rescue are now on Staten Island to support the on-going recovery effort taking place at the Staten Island landfill.

As the recovery efforts continue, AHA and Animal Planet Rescue are providing assistance to the rescue dogs and their handlers. According to a report filed this morning by AHA's Ben Drotar, who is acting as the Animal Planet Rescue on-site compound commander, approximately 30 dogs have been serviced so far.

Servicing these rescue dogs involves either providing a full medical exam, or full or partial decontamination. Dogs are currently working from 7 a.m. through 3 a.m., on three- to four-day shifts per team.

"These rescue dogs are playing an integral role in helping the families of this tragedy," said AHA's Dr. Lynn Anderson, Vice-President, AHA's Animal Protection Services. "They work just as hard as any volunteer or personnel assigned to the solemn task of helping to recover evidence and personal effects from the landfill." Learn more about the important work rescue dogs do and how you and your dog can become involved in search and rescue operations across the country and around the world.

Currently AHA's activities in NYC are not being funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. We are relying on the public to support our emergency animal relief efforts in New York and across the country. If you'd like to support the American Humane Association's disaster relief efforts, click on the "Give" button and designate your contribution for "emergency animal relief."

For more information on the Canine Recovery Task Force organized by Rescue International and volunteer requirements, log on to http://www.rescuenet.org. To reach the official New York City site, which includes current emergency, relief, and missing persons information, visit http://home.nyc.gov/.

For more information on efforts in New York City to help animals affected by the World Trade Center attack, please log on to www.suffolkspca.org, www.nycacc.org or www.aspca.org.

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