November 12, 2012

Pet Safe Coalition Works Overtime in the Wake of Hurricane Sandy

DDAF is always open to hearing from qualified non-profit animal welfare and rescue groups that would like to be considered for our grant program.  But when Hurricane Sandy struck the New York/New Jersey area, our team went on the offensive, looking for a reputable group with active volunteers on the ground in the affected region.  We discovered Pet Safe Coalition and quickly made a grant of $5,000 to assist in their rescue and animal well-being efforts.

Pet Safe Coalition is a special group, originally conceived as a human-services program to provide pet owner support in emergencies such as home fires and neighborhood evacuations.  In 2006, New York State's Department of Agriculture and Markets recognized Pet Safe Coalitiion as the first County Animal Response Team (CART) in the State.  To this day, it remains the only organization in Nassau County, New York, that specifically deals with emergency management and disaster mitigation for animals.

Pet Safe volunteers undergo specific training so they're ready to respond in the event of an emergency.  They spend many hours at outreach events as well, informing the public and educating pet owners.  Their "Have a pet? Have a plan!"© program focuses on the importance of preparing for companion animal safety in the event of disasters, large and small.

In September 2011, Pet Safe volunteers provided care to 54 animals on Long Island during Hurricane Irene, and prepared owners of hundreds of other pets to evacuate and care for their pets. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Pet Safe Coalition has been working with the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management to run a temporary pet shelter at Mitchell Park's Field House in Uniondale, N.Y.  Our grant will help fund this and other rescue and shelter operations in the Tri-State area.

Please donate today and help DDAF reach out to those affected by the storm and its aftermath.

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