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Posts Tagged ‘Disaster Relief’

Workers using Corexit in the Exxon Valdez Spill. Photo Credit : The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council

It’s been over a month since President Obama and the EPA gave BP 24 hours to stop dumping the toxic oil dispersant Corexit into the Gulf of Mexico. The decision was first reported in the Washington Post immediately after Congress heard testimony from BP’s own executives and scientists confirming our worst fears. Not only is this highly toxic chemical relatively ineffective against this type of crude oil, but it was now adding more pollutants to the already poisoned waters.

Numerous independent scientists have come forward to say that Corexit is really only good for public relations. This carcinogenic, mutagenic, and highly toxic chemical does break up the oil into small somewhat transparent ripples and droplets that are more visually acceptable than images of giant black tides drowning wildlife and covering beaches. What the cameras don’t see is the long term damage to delicate ecosystems that are now struggling to escape toxic tides of chemicals. According to environmental engineer Joe Taylor the sulfur and sulfuric acid based dispersant will also deplete oxygen levels under the water, killing plankton and everything above plankton in the food chain. This is not new information. Corexit has been banned for years in the UK because of the long and short-term damage to wildlife and ecosystems. The world was first introduced to Corexit in 1989 when it was used in the Exxon Valdez spill. Images of the workers during that spill spraying the chemical in hazmat suits should have been our first clue something wasn’t quit right with this chemical.

So – why at the time of this decision had BP already sprayed over 600,000 gallons of Corexit on the surface of the Gulf with another 55,000 injected directly into the oil pouring out of the ocean floor? And why, one month later, have they been allowed to dump even more? It is estimated that more than 1.4 million gallons have already been used.

Please act today to remind President Obama that this disaster could have been prevented and that he needs to restore the moratorium on all-offshore drilling in the U.S.

Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary/photo credit: Karla Goodson

Throughout my 20 years in the animal protection field I have admired the work of In Defense of Animals, and I’m truly honored to accept the position of President of this esteemed organization. I feel very fortunate to have inherited a solid foundation created by Dr. Elliot Katz, and look forward to building on this platform of excellence in order to expand IDA’s positive impact for animals.

More than two decades ago I realized the common thread in the network of animal cruelty – the cage. The cage represents the imprisonment and mistreatment of the animals of this world. I have focused my career on tearing down these cages in their many forms and uses.

The cage is a fundamentally flawed contraption that causes rapid emotional, social and physical decline of its inhabitants. In my experience any animal confined to a cage goes through three phases of decline; typically starting with high anxiety, leading to depression, and resulting in psychological turmoil. Putting an animal in a cage is a violation of that creature’s innate right to live naturally and without suffering. This type of confinement also forces animals to eat, sleep and defecate in a space often only a few times the size of their body. This causes human and animal health problems and can ultimately lead to death in some species.

I conceptualized and built a revolutionary cageless animal shelter that set global humane standards. I lobbied for the adoption of guardian language to change people’s ideas concerning our relationships with animals. I lead the rescue of tens of thousands of animals from puppy mills, dog and cock fighting, hoarding cases, equine farming and countless other cruel instances of confinement and mistreatment. I have liberated hundreds of thousands of animals from the confines of cages and the grip of man-made cruelty.

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Please Credit: Karla Goodson

In Defense of Animals (IDA) proudly welcomes Scotlund Haisley as our new President. IDA’s Founder and only President to date, Dr. Elliot Katz, has been elected Chairman of the Board.

“Scotlund Haisley has been a dynamic force in the animal protection world for more than 20 years, and brings an impressive variety of experience that will serve us well in his position as President of In Defense of Animals,” said Dr. Katz. “Scotlund is the ideal individual to maximize IDA’s efforts to become a more powerful voice and force for our animal friends, by ending the rampant mistreatment of animals, not only in the U.S., but around the world.”

Most recently Haisley led the Humane Society of the United States Animal Rescue Team, and traveled the globe to rescue an unprecedented number of animals from puppy mills, dogfighting, hoarding, factory farming and natural disasters. He was the captain of humane law enforcement for the Washington DC Humane Society and the Peninsula Humane Society in the San Francisco Bay area. Haisley spent time in India creating policies and operating philosophies for animal welfare groups. He was also the shelter director for the Manhattan New York City Shelter.

While working as Executive Director at the Washington (DC) Animal Rescue League, Haisley designed and built an animal shelter unlike any in the world. The shelter, renowned for its calming and nurturing animal housing area, is recognized as a prototype for humane animal sheltering.

“I am honored to take on the role of President of In Defense of Animals, and look forward to building upon the solid foundation of excellence in animal rights that IDA has built over the past 25 years,” said Haisley. “I believe that under my lead In Defense of Animals will bring comfort and salvation to an unprecedented number of animals around the globe.”

Scotlund Haisley is also an accomplished artist, who often paints the scenes of cruelty he has witnessed and the animals he has rescued. By putting the images of suffering and salvation onto canvas Haisley is able to spread education and awareness of the suffering of animals. Haisley’s family includes several animals, including a dog named Bergh, named for the pioneering 19th-century animal protector Henry Bergh.

IDA is thrilled to welcome Scotlund Haisley as our new President. Stay tuned to this space for Scotlund’s first IDA blog, coming soon!

Photo Credit : WSPA-IFAW-T.Stargardter

Nearly six weeks after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, IDA continues our work to help animals in Haiti. IDA supports the animal disaster relief efforts though a coalition of NGOs. ARCH, as the coalition is called, has assembled a team of veterinarians, vet techs and animal disaster relief responders, and is engaging with the Haitian veterinary community as well to help animals every day. So far, over 2,300 animals including 500 dogs and cats and hundreds of other animals – mainly cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chicken, horses and donkeys – have been treated for their injuries and ailments. More resources have also been sent into Haiti to help the team on the ground every day. This includes a fully fitted mobile veterinary clinic that has just been brought into Port-au-Prince after much hard work and negotiations. Further reinforcements such as medical supplies and animal care personnel has enhanced the already existing international relief team.

With the mobile clinic reaching into the affected areas, people are lining up with their animals. The team from the ground reports: “Now that we’ve got the mobile clinic, we can have two lines of people waiting: one outside for dogs, aggressive animals and animals from farms, and another one inside for cats and wounded animals.”

Photo Credit : WSPA-IFAW-T.Stargardter

Ten year old Kenny brought his dog Vito, who had an infection. “It has been sick for a long time, but I don’t know any vets and don’t have any money to take it to one”, said Kenny. We gave the dog antibiotics and vitamins, and we’ll come back next week to check its progress.

At IDA, we are here for the animals and to make a difference for those who are often forgotten in natural disasters.

Support IDA’s Animal Disaster Relief Fund.

Learn more about IDA’s work in Haiti. For more information about how you can help IDA help animals affected by disasters, please contact us at disasterrelief@idausa.org.

Helping build a healthier future for Haiti's animals

The ARCH team continues to treat animals as part of the relief phase. Despite initial thoughts that there would be low numbers of animals to treat, the team has been very busy everyday. Over the weekend, many animals were treated and cared for in the earthquake zone. The team also travelled out to many rural areas, outside of Port-au-Prince, where they treated more animals such as goats, cattle, pigs, dogs and cats over the weekend. So far, over 400 dogs and cats and 1500 livestock – mainly cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chicken, horses and donkeys were treated for their injuries and ailments.

IDA’s Connie Durkee sends us another update from her journey into Haiti with the ARCH team to rescue animals in this devastated area:

We are welcomed into every tent city we go to. The people are grateful for the help. We treat the animals with Ivermectin for internal parasites and skin problems (mange) and give them a Vitamin injection to give them a boost. In some cases we are giving injections of antibiotics. We also treat minor lacerations and injuries. Skin problems and very skinny dogs are the most prevalent. Every day we would treat anywhere from 10-65 animals.We show the Haitians how to apply flea powder and the gel for mange. A crowd of people always gathers every time we arrive at a location. It’s heartwarming to see their smiles and hear their ‘thank you’s’. We are glad to show them how to properly handle their animals and they are very grateful.

We are a role model for them. People literally come out of the woodwork with their pets for us to treat. Dogs, cats, chickens, pigs, goats, etc… Smiles on their faces. Amazing after what they’ve been through. The human/animal bond is unbreakable!

One dog we treated, named Dick, had obvious neurological problems since the earthquake. He was found buried in the rubble 24 hours after the earthquake laying next to his 7 year old guardian, who had been killed. He was obviously traumatized. We gave Dick an injection of Dexamethazone for his injuries and made arrangements to return in a few days to repeat it. The guardians were so happy. They loved their little friend and we were glad we could help.

One day we went to the Bolivian UN station to treat dogs that were living on their base. They were dogs that lived on the base when they arrived and had befriended them. They requested spay/neuter assistance with of the dogs and we told them that we hoped to offer that option soon. They were grateful for our help.

During my time on the ground in Haiti, a young boy named Joseph befriended us and came to our camp every day. His family lived on the street and they didn’t even have a tent. We would feed him and give him anything we could that would help him and his family. He would clean our camp and joke around with us. He did a great Michael Jackson impersonation.

IDA's Connie Durkee and her new friend sharing a meal in Haiti.

IDA's Connie Durkee saving animals in Haiti with ARCH

To understand the conditions the dedicated ARCH team in Haiti is working and living in, IDA’S Connie Durkee has sent us updates from the fields:

As we sit and wait for our campsite to be secured, we watch the UN troops let in groups of Haitians through the gate in front of us to receive food. There is a lot of pushing and shoving going on so they have to keep the groups to 30-40 people at a time. They line people up in the street and try to keep things as calm as possible. There are many UN soldiers around with guns trying to keep things sane. Outside the gate, hundreds more Haitians wait for their turn. We watch them from our secured area. It is a very intense scene to watch!

Once we are allowed into our space, we pitch our tents and setup camp. We are camped on a paved, dead-end road. There is an outhouse down the street with more UN soldiers standing guard close by. There is a lot of activity around. The sky is very busy, full of helicopters. The Dominicans have 15 or more mobile food units parked near us and they appear to be feeding thousands of people. They load the truck up with meals and head out hourly. We ended up having many meals with them over the course of our stay.

Since I’m traveling with 9 Dominicans the Spanish is flying so I don’t always get all that’s being said but we find our way to communicate and understand each other. I’m sure my Spanish will be much better by the end of this trip. After dinner we all went to bed wondering what our next day on the streets in Port-au-Prince will bring.

Our first morning there we wake up early at 6:00 am. The sky is already full of activity. A venture like this takes a lot of organizing, planning and good timing. I worked to stock the medical supply box. We have injectable antibiotics, Vitamin B injectable and a gel for Sarna (mange). We also have bandage materials, Betadine, suture material and fluids.

When we met up with the ARCH teem, Dr. Thomas, the local Haitian Veterinarian, was with them. He is a wonderful man and is going to be a wonderful asset. He knows where to take us and knows where it is safe. He can go with us to the tent cities and talk to the people and make sure that they welcome us into their place to treat the animals.

Our plan is to go into the tent cities and get permission to come in that day or the next day to treat the animals. We tell them that helping the animals helps the people too and helps prevent the spread of disease. As we drive around looking for the tent cities, we see so much destruction and the streets are FILLED with people. People everywhere! They have nowhere to go. The buildings are flattened and many are frightened to go into them.

But we are here for the animals and to make a difference for those who are often forgotten in natural disasters.

Since the catastrophic earthquake devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010 affecting its 2 million inhabitants and over 4 million animals, IDA has been working non-stop to access the situation on the ground, assess the needs for animals and what we can do to help. IDA along with other representatives of the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) are on their way to Haiti. The Government of Haiti has already sent official communications to ARCH asking for immediate emergency assistance. A team of veterinarians and disaster management experts from the coalition, of which IDA is part of, just arrived into Port-au-Prince by plane this morning to put a plan into action with the government of Haiti’s ministries of Agriculture and public health as well under the mandate of UN FAO’s mission. And a mobile unit, fully capable to weather tough terrains and equipped to provide animal care and relief has set sail to join our 20 member team heading by road into Haiti, so writes IDA’s representative Connie Durkee from the front lines.

Connie Durkee, IDA’s representative and a veteran of many disaster responses and a qualified veterinary technician with years of experience is heading into Haiti. She just sent this update before hitting to the road:  Our plan is to arrive into Port-au-Prince today with a team of disaster responders, veterinarians and veterinary techs from the Dominican Republic (DR) and set up our mission to begin the life saving work to help animals and people. She writes: “My emotions are soaring. I feel proud to be able to help in this mission, anxious to get there soon to help, apprehensive how long the journey by road is going to take, scared sometimes as there are still some security issues but never hesitant as I embark on this journey to help animals and the people affected by this grave disaster”

“Along with the many animal supplies, I am carrying for our long mission, (we don’t know when we will get back, that thought has not even crossed my mind), my local friends are also sending humanitarian supplies that I plan to drop off on the way with friends who have already reached Haiti and begun their humanitarian relief work. One of them is a veterinarian who lives in Sosua in DR, who often provides medical treatment to many Haitians because they cannot afford medical care. He is in Haiti  now doing humanitarian relief work. He learnt that I was heading to Haiti and asked if we could help carry supplies for human needs and we were just so glad we could help. Our mission is to help animals and people. Infact, we are engaging directly with the Haitian community, including local veterinarians, who themselves have been severely affected both directly – losing their loved ones – as well as their livelihoods, devastated by this enormous earthquake that the U.N. calls one of the worst disasters ever encountered.

As I pack our bags and load our vehicles, another local friend has just arrived. She wants to join us and follow us as a convoy for safety as we drive into Haiti. She will be driving a truckload of supplies for the people of Mission 25, a section of Port au Prince. We are working on figuring out logistics now.

“I have watched the close relationship between the Haitians and the Dominicans on many occasions. There are a lot of Haitians in the DR. Many of them very good friends of mine. What I have observed of the Haitians from being here is that they are such hard working and friendly people. It is heartwarming to see the Dominicans and the Haitians coming together in this difficult time. It’s not always that way with such different cultures.  Here we go…..”

We at IDA wish her and the team a safe journey to Haiti. Back here, our IDA team is gearing up to get ready to send the next set of people in a few days to support the on-ground efforts as the first responder team reports back with animal needs assessment. Hear from Matt Rossell, our IDA’s NW director about IDA efforts to help animals and people

It is through the generosity and compassion of our supporters we are able to help these animals who would otherwise be forgotten in this tragedy. Please donate today to help our efforts  and take a minute to forward this to your friends and families. Please help us help them.

I doubt any of us will forget when disaster hit New Orleans in 2005 in the form of Hurricane Katrina. At the time, I volunteered to work crisis lines to help with companion animal rescue efforts in Louisiana as well as Mississippi. I can still remember how the calls from the desperate and traumatized came in at all hours  – often on top of each other. IDA was one of several organizations that sent rescue teams then. Now, IDA is actively assessing how we can assist both people and animals in Haiti. IDA is partnering together with a coalition of animal protection organization (Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti, i.e. ARCH) to assist with the pooling of both funds and on the ground assistance & response in order to support Haiti animal relief.

We are currently in touch with other ARCH partners to determine how we can best coordinate and maximize our efforts. As reports of refugees having to flee the devastated area pour in, it is heartbreaking to hear of the extremely difficult choices that people have faced to save themselves and families. Without animal protection organizations helping in these efforts, it is unthinkable what the future for the animals affected by this disaster may look like.

If you have resources that might be put to use to help the animals of Haiti, or if you would like to become more involved in IDA’s disaster relief efforts, please contact disasterrelief@idausa.org. The best way to help the affected animals of Haiti is with your financial contributions. If you would like to support our animal disaster response efforts, please help us with your donation by clicking here.

Our thoughts are with the people and animals of Haiti. We are standing by, and hope you will too. We will post updates on our blog as they become available.

We encourage our members to also support whichever humanitarian relief groups you feel most comfortable with.