Mutt Watch is taking the week off.

The Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH)  has been created to address the needs of animals in Haiti following the earthquake that devastated the country.

ARCH is headed by The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).

Other animal welfare groups part of the coalition includes the ASPCA, American Humane Association, Best Friends Animal Society, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and Humane Society International (HSI).

“There are an estimated 5 million head of livestock in the country (mostly goats), a large stray dog population, an untold number of companion animals and native wildlife all adversely affected by the earthquake.”

“The coalition is  preparing a “mobile animal clinic and staff to perform outreach work in Haiti, with training provided by ARCH. Our coalition also will be assessing and assisting with the needs of animals belonging to people displaced by the disaster, as they move into temporary camps. Plans include providing food and clean water, as well as vaccinating companion animals against rabies.”

The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA) is working with HSUS and HSI in “ working on a preliminary assessment of Haiti’s animal-care needs, taking into account the security, transportation, housing, and supply challenges that we would face in deployment.” Those groups are working with Sociedad Dominicana para la Prevención de Crueldad a los Animales, which is based in the Dominican Republic and has offered to get a team of animal responders and veterinarians into Haiti.

Each organization has links if you want to donate.  Or you can use this link from the ASPCA where they state: “If you would like to contribute directly to the Haitian relief efforts of ARCH, please donate here.? (Read the fine print for each organization.  HSI says “your donation today may or may not be used specifically to help animals in Haiti, depending on needs there and our ability to respond in the coming days.”)

I have not yet found any local animal groups, rescue groups  or shelters such as SPCA of Tampa Bay or Humane Society of Tampa Bay raising funds for the animals in Haiti either for ARCH or for their own efforts.  If you are aware of any email me.

Blogs on the subject http://animalsindisasters.typepad.com/wspa/ http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/
http://www.hsus.org/hsi/disaster_services/reports_from_the_field/2010_haiti_earthquake_11310.html

Come back to this The Mutt Report for updates